Keep Driving
by Mountain King
Summary: During an Autobot attack on a test of the new Decepticon's Space Bridge G1 Megatron and a team of Decepticons are catapulted into the Movie-verse. Crossover with the original cartoon and the 2007 movie.
1. Introduction and Teaser

Keep Driving  
Intro, Disclaimer and Teaser.

Introduction:-

As we all know the Transformers (live action) movie was a hit. Most of the nay-sayers about the Bay directed film eventually accepted that all involved had done a fantastic job. Sure it wasn't the best for drama or originality but this is a film about the Autobots and Decepticons, subtly never was easy for giant robots hell bent on blowing each other to slag. (Nor for Bay but we can forgive that).

Unfortunately there were bad points. For one it gave rise to the almost unlimited amount of Sam/Bumblebee slash fiction around here. (I ain't even going to start on how disturbed that is, just no.) Another is the design of the Bay-formers. Sure they move brilliantly and look awesome but they are not supposed to be sculptures. Yes, bits flying off in a knock down drag out fight also look awesome but these guys are fighters. Last thing you want is a bloody great gap in your armour plating or exposed systems like eyes and neck. Simply there are too many bits to be damaged.

Classic Transformers (back in the good old G-1 days) were blocky, the transformation involved very little other than to stand up and unfold the arms. They might not have looked particularly modern or cool when transforming but they were armoured to hell and back. Fire sabot rounds at a classic and you leave little dents before they blow the building down around you with a single shot.

I'm the first to admit that animation errors and the science behind the classic Transformers was, well if I'm being kind, distracting and incorrect. I'm sorry to say the Originals were better suited to warfare. They aren't exclusively better because the Movie-verse transformers are faster, can transform into anything of equal mass and a lot more versatile. In the classic show the Autobots and Decepticons were trapped with what they transformed into, they couldn't just upgrade when the car was out of fashion. There are other advantages like the inbuilt holograms and web access but they aren't that important right now

Neither are perfect because both have flaws and advantages. So lets throw them together and see what happens!

* * *

Authors Note:-

This isn't my first journey into transformers Fanfiction writing. In fact I have a large crossover universe scattered through various other shows. Including Stargate, Smallville, Buffy and Kim Possible(!) They are all part of the same over arcing story, so is this to a point. Don't worry, this story is self contained and only effects itself but it is part of what I call my Generation 1.5 Universe. For more check my Author's Bio.

* * *

Disclaimer

I don't own any version of Transformers. They belong to Hasbro and the writers involved.

* * *

Teaser

Starscream powered down his engines and pointed his nose cone at the planet again. A short atmospheric hop to escape the human insect's tracking system and throw off Autobot pursuit. Not that they could follow without a flight capable alternate mode on one of them but Starscream hadn't survived the slaughter of his companions by not being prepared.

He needed help, Barricade had been badly damaged in his earlier fight with that yellow slag pile Bumblebee. With his battle computer off-line and Frenzy busy (until he was decapitated that was ) the overgrown weakling had no useable weapons. After the battle started to go against them and Megatron fell Starscream ordered him to fall back. There were only three Decepticons left and the flesh creatures had weapons that could destroy them.

Factor in the Autobot numbers, abilities and the fact that Prime was still standing retreating was the only option. before coming up with different tactic. Starscream was picking up Scorpinok and then meeting Barricade at Starscream's original landing zone. With time they could repair and reload, prepare for the future. Homing in on the lone locator signal Starscream made a few braking turns as soon as the atmosphere was thick enough before transforming and landing.

A couple of humans in a flimsy structure noticed him, they clung to each other in terror before hiding inside the questionable protection. In a foul mood the Decepticon Air commander lunched a missile, eradicating it and leaving a black burn mark on the rocky desert. 'Scorpinok!' he shouted in Cybertronian. 'Show yourself.'

There were a couple of dull thuds signalling subterranean explosions before the Decepticon burst out of an out cropping. Clattering forward the battle drone clicked its fore-claws in fear. It's tail was missing a good length and hung limply, one side of it's face armour sealed shut and sand poured from gaps in it's torso. In short the specialist hunter-drone was too damaged to be any use. It looked like Barricade wasn't the only one needing repairs.

Suppressing a growl Starscream looked down. 'You're coming with me.' he said.

The small Decepticon cowered, his head scanning the skyline. As he did so Starscream detected a build up of static charge in the atmosphere. The sky darkened as storm clouds formed high above. 'What is happening?' he asked himself before multiple lightning strikes converged a distance off.

It was practically impossible for a Energon storm to gather so quickly naturally. Battle computer active and weapons drawn Starscream scanned the impact point. More energy discharges scattered and coalesced. In the blink of an optic the charge united into a single pulse. A purple/pink rupture exploded into existence and a triangle of power blasted down into the ground, blinding Starscream's sensors.

'We have to get there. Whatever did that had enough power to turn me into a God! That's just the advantage we need!' Transforming into jet mode Starscream hovered for an instant as Scorpinok latched onto his under side.

Starscream landed an began to investigate it. Shifting sand had been frozen into glass by the heat, it looked something like an inland sea. An experimental stamp of his foot cracked it's surface but not deeply. The power that did this was truly immense. 'What do we have here then?' A high pitched voice suddenly laughed. It had come from a large shape climbing to the top of a sand dune. 'Looks like a foolish mechling to me.' Now it was closer Starscream could make it out. A red and silver Transformer with giant wings. Obviously an aircraft alternate mode but it was nothing like Starscream had seen before. A lot less detail, preferring large rounded box like shapes to standard morphic plates. Raising an arm he noticed the strange Decepticon had it's weapons built onto the outsides of them, an ominous sound of an energy cannon charging followed and another strange Transformer stepped up.

A silver Decepticon with black legs and a massive cannon on his right arm batted the first one's arm down. 'This is not Cybertron.' he growled.' It still looks like Earth but I do not recognise this... Decepticon. And where are Prime and his Autobots? They should still be here.'

Starscream had no idea what they were talking about but they looked primitive, no match for his skill. scornfully he converted his arm into its missile launcher mode. 'I am Starscream, Leader of the Decepticons, you will pay for threatening me!' With that he fired. The winged one dived out of the way while the one with the cannon was taken by surprise.

The powerful missile only caused him to stumble back. Red eyes flashing he chuckled. Saying one word; 'Fool.' he fired at the ground. The blast was like nothing Starscream had felt before, picked up by the shockwave Starscream was tossed about like a fragment of scrap. Bouncing to a stop he looked up.

Shaking the shattered glass from his head Starscream coughed out 'Who... W... What?'

'I am Megatron, recognise the name?'

Starscream knew he told the truth. Only the slag-maker himself could wield such a weapon. With a massive leap Megatron jumped, landing with one foot on Starscream's chassis. Warning lights and damage sprawled across the Decepticon jet's vision. A glance to Scorpinok showed Starscream's only ally cornered by two other strange looking Decepticons. Picked up by its' tail the drone snapped a clawed hand at the taller of the two. 'Little slagger.' It barked and with a single armoured fist they reacted. Crushing Scorpinok's head and shattering the drone's processor and throwing it casually over its shoulder.

'Now then,' Megatron looked down and applied pressure. 'You will tell me what I need to know, or be destroyed for your impudence.' Another crunch and Starscream lost half is internal systems.

'Y...Yes! Yes my lord Megatron. I will tell you what I know... Please...'

End teaser


	2. Chapter 1

Keep Driving  
Chapter 1

Optimus Prime looked out over the dam. Since the closure of Sector Seven the vast underground complex was planed to be abandoned. With a little help and suggestion it became the new Autobot headquarters.

Several former S-7 members were kept on and the facility was rapidly becoming the technological hot spot of the planet. Ratchet spent a lot of time arguing about how he wasn't a engineer but a medic, when he wasn't busy upgrading the Earth tech they had inherited.

There were several subtle differences between Autobot and Decepticon technology. As most of Earth tech was based on inspiration from Megatron there were a few things that didn't sit right with any of the Autobots. Not least of which the rampant power consumption that the Decepticon's systems demanded.

Prime shrugged and walked back inside the main hanger. He didn't regret the deal struck with the people of this planet but he did question it. They had learnt just about all they could from Megatron, meaning that now new technology was needed. The price of sanctuary was Autobot tech. While the United States government wanted weapons and advanced armours they were the two things Prime would never entrust to them.

So far he'd been able to keep the military at bay by warning that if anyone infiltrated them all sides would have the advanced technology. Instead Prime had offered construction methods, energy collection and power generators. For the good of the people of this world. By suggesting trade with the other nations the people will get what they really want. Money and lots of it.

'The humans truly are strange.' he mused to himself, watching as Ratchet installed a power lifter. Nodding to his old friend Prime left to find Bumblebee.

The faithful Autobot was in the cube room, being the biggest cavern in the base it was more or less their main hall. The humans were beginning to refer to it as the "den." Bumblebee was watching a racing event the the large screened entertainment medium known as Television. With a prang in his emotional sub-processor Prime knew that Jazz would have been there to cheer their yellow companion up.

'Is there something wrong Bumblebee?' Prime asked the sitting Autobot

Bumblebee scratched his antenna. 'No.' he half snapped back.

'Our agreement with the humans keeps you here. I know you don't like being cooped up here while Sam and his family are on holiday in Europe. Why didn't you stay with Mikaela?'

'She was able to go over there. Wanted to keep an eye on him.' Bumblebee huffed.

Prime laughed. 'It is the way of humans, they enjoy keeping an eye on each other. They will return.'

'It's a big world out there Optimus and we're stuck here.' Bumblebee looked at the screen again and Prime smiled as a couple of sleek cars slid through the shot. It wasn't just the humans that liked to "keep an eye on things"

'Well I have some news. Arcee is on her way.'

Bumblebee blinked his optics. 'Arcee? Here?' he asked in shock. The young Autobots attraction to the female specialist wasn't a secret. Prime secretly wondered if that was part of the reason he helped Sam out so much.

Patting the smaller Autobot on the shoulder Prime offered encouragement but it died in his vocal processor. The television had stopped showing the race. In it's stead it was showing Starscream large as life in Mission City.

The reporter was saying something but prime wasn't listening, only watching as Starscream just marched up and down the main street. It was a live transmission, he was out to make a spectacle of himself and succeeding. Hitting his communicator Prime barked an order to Ratchet, 'Starscream's tearing up Mission City. We need to take him down fast!'

Cursing the fact Ironhide was still with Captain Lennox and thus they were down almost half their combined fire power Prime lead his two lieutenants out of the complex and down towards Mission City.

His radio cracked on route. 'Optimus Prime, can you hear me?' it was the Secretary of Defence.

Prime answered, 'Yes I can.'

'I tried contacting you at sector seven. They told me you were on the road, Just what are you doing.' John asked half panicking. 'We have a strike team ready to take the Decepticon out. We need maximum deniability here...'

'Something else is going on Secretary Keller. Starscream wasn't the only survivor and there's no reason for him to be stomping around making himself a target. alone. If he wants to draw you into a firing match he must have something planed.'

'Do you think you can handle him?' the radio cracked.

Prime knew he should be able to. 'Without Megatron the Decepticon's aren't as big a threat as they once were. I think we can handle it, if nothing else we can occupy his time while Captain Lennox and Ironhide lead the reinforcements.'

'Agreed, I'll forward that to the Captain. And Optimus, good luck.''Thank you, Defence Secretary.' Prime forwarded the discussion to Ironhide himself with the message to hurry.

* * *

John Keller looked at the group of advisers, boot-lickers and general useless people. they hadn't had to look the Autobots in the eyes and they hadn't made friends with them. 'Plausible deniability.' he repeated, his voice heavy.

'Yes sir. We can remove the problem instantly and my I remind you that the President has been briefed on this possibility. He agreed it was an option.' One of the colonels said.

John was experienced enough to read between the lines. The buck had been passed to him and if it was a mistake he was the sacrifice to political reality. Also with the weight of the President behind the implied order he was literally damned if he did and damned if he didn't. 'Give the order and put me through to Lennox.' His last chance was that special forces captain and his own experience.

* * *

With Mission City fast approaching Prime tuned into the transmission. Starscream had launched a missile absently into the ground. It wasn't like the Decepticon to be stomping around like that. He was a fighter and a skilled flyer. The only reason for him to be advertising his presence would be to attract the Autobot's attention.

The human too Prime realised with a shock. All the work that had gone into hiding themselves from the public had been undone. Prime and is team wading in there would only help to show people they existed. Starscream had already done that though. If Prime could prove the Autobots meant no harm and had defeated the Decepticons they could turn it around. Humanity would know it had protectors and friends. It was the only way prime could see to get out of this situation.

Pulling up at the edge of the gathering crowd Prime gave the order to transform. As humans ran he called out; 'Starscream!'

It got the wide set Deception's attention. 'Autobots! I see you've come to stop me!'

Painfully aware of the amount of imaging devices pointed at him Prime stepped over abandoned cars. 'What do you have to gain from this? Megatron is defeated,your people are scattered and the All-Spark is lost. The war is over!'

'No Optimus.' Prime watched Starscream reach behind his back. 'The war is over when you and the Autobots are scrap!' Starscream pulled a large gun out.

Prime's first thought was it looked like a human weapon and didn't fit into Starscream's hand. With a long black barrel and stock the weapon looked somewhere between a pistol and a rifle. An optical enhancement on the top only helped to reinforce the rifle image. Still from the size and way the Decepticon Air commander was holding it it had to be powerful.

Prime jumped to the side just in time as a purple blast of energy lanced out from the gun. His fellow Autobots scattered as the shot passed them and hit a building. The whole floor of the building detonated in an almighty shockwave. The explosion shattered the whole building, sending masonry, steel and glass everywhere.

'By the Pit.' Prime cursed, amazed at the destructive force. 'Ratchet!'

It was an age old tactic. Ratchet, with the weakest weapon of the three of them, made a run for more cover of to the right. Spraying Starscream with rounds from his galling cannon. The Distraction.

Starscream reacted on instinct, tracking and firing at the running medic. Another purple burst destroyed another building effortlessly. Another shockwave threw Ratchet of his feet and he rolled behind what could questionably be called cover. A single hit with that weapon and the targeted Autobot would have suffered the same fate. Prime drew his rifle as Bumblebee converted his hand into the in built plasma cannon. The Trap.

Spinning from cover Prime and Bumblebee took aim. Starscream's head turned, knowing what was coming. Luckily the raw power of the strange weapon he was using had knocked him off balance and Starscream couldn't react quick enough. Firing as one the two Autobots hit the Decepticon square in the torso. Instantly he fell, chances were his spark survived but the damage to his shell was extreme.

Prime and Bumblebee walked calmly towards the prone Decepticon, meeting Ratchet halfway there. Around them several humans were cheering others jeering them.

'It's over.' Prime said sadly before standing up straight. He was about to introduce himself to the world when a new voice shouted from above:-

'Not yet!' A large and bulky plane flew over head and transformed behind them. It was like no Transformer Prime had ever seen blocky and heavy set it's conversion was amazingly simple but effective. Arms and legs unfolding and extending until it was in robot mode. A robot mode that was an odd combination of tank and plane. 'Prepare to meet Blitzwing!' It shouted, Decepticon symbol blazoned across it's chest, before transforming again. This time into a menacing tank.

'Good grief!' Prime was able to mutter before a massive shell was fired, landing and detonating just in front of the three Autobots. Before he could react Prime blacked out.

Rebooting his optics Prime was on his back, he could tell he was damaged but not how badly, he couldn't move his legs as they were pinned under a section of road buckled by the explosion. One optic also had trouble focussing. He checked his Chrono, only a second had passed. Trying to sit up he saw the Decepticon tank advancing. People fleeing as it shook with laughter. Looking around Prime realised he was right next to the prone Starscream and his powerful new weapon. Instantly Prime reacted.

He grabbed the gun, it was heavy and solid. Fitting his own, smaller, hand well. Prime brought it down and pulled the trigger. Pointing it directly at the new Decepticon.

Nothing happened.

He pulled the trigger again. Still nothing.

Prime spared a instant to look at the gun and wished he hadn't. Just above the trigger in violent purple sat a Decepticon symbol. Then it happened, an event burnt into his memory circuits forever. The stock folded up with incredible speed and into the handle. The barrel spun down into the gun in the space of the same instant.The gun became incredibly heavy and a sudden energy pulse broke Prime' s grip. The gun flew into the air before spinning to a stop. Then it too transformed.

Unfolding and shifting at first Prime thought it was a trick of his damaged optic. To his horror it wasn't, the Decepticon was growing. Only slightly taller than Prime the silver and black robot stood up, red optics pulsing.

Ratchet must have been active because the Medics machine gun barked out at the newcomer. Dense bullets just bounced off the silver armour plating and the Decepticon gun jumped.

Craning his head around Prime gasped as the Decepticon batted Ratchet's gun away and punched him across the face. The medic spun off his feet from the raw force of the impact, landing on top of an abandoned public bus that crumpled beneath him.

Prime looked back at the tank, now back in robot mode it was standing back, waiting as if there was nothing the Autobots could do.

The sound of Bumblebee's plasma scattered across Primes audio sensor. 'No Bumblebee, run!' he shouted, trying to move his legs again from under the heavy construction material.

Prime looked and any other words were pointless. The plasma busts just dissipated off the Deceptions armour with a light scorching. With a single overhand smash Bumblebee was thrown to the ground with a crunch

Prime looked helplessly as the strange gun shaped transformer walked back calmly. Bumblebee and Ratchet were in status lock. With an almighty heave Prime pushed the oversized lump of road from his legs. A glance told him they were damaged, his battle computer must have been knocked off-line, otherwise he would have gotten a damage report.

No time for that now his processor screamed. Throwing his left arm over her reached for his cannon a fraction too late as a sliver leg came down on it. Shattering the cannon like scarp metal. The other foot kicked Prime's face plate off, scattering oil and piston fluid. The Decepticon hadn't finished.

Optics swimming and most of his systems damaged Prime tied again to rise. Who ever he was this Decepticon was powerful, immensely powerful, Prime reasoned before he demonstrated another weapon. Right hand retracting into the bulky armour Prime watched as with a snap flash a magenta chain mace materialised. An energy based version of Megaton's weapon of choice. The power needed to create that was astounding.

Spinning it up the silver Decepticon brought it down across the inside of Prime's damaged right leg, shattering the knee joint and most of the supports. He didn't have time to scream before the Decepticon did the same thing to his left knee.

'Who... Who are you?' Prime asked between fused jaw motors.

Spreading his arms wide the Decepticon stepped over him and gloated ' "Please allow me to introduce myself'".' The big Decepticon grinned. Somewhere deep inside him Prime's spark lurched ' "For I am a man of wealth and taste".'

'Megatron!' Prime shouted in terror. It had to be him No other Decepticon was that cruel, that needlessly brutal. But he was dead, not more powerful than ever.

The answering smile was all the proof Prime needed. The energy weapon spluttered and vanished and Megatron's right hand slid back in place. With an effortless lift Prime was yanked to his feet. Legs still smashed he was lifted up to look deep in this new Megatron's optics. Angular red lenses lined in black and with a single bright spot deep inside each. 'Starscream. Null ray.' he ordered over Prime's shoulder.

Prime didn't have time to wonder wha a null ray was, his audio receptors registered a firing weapon. Something hit him in the back, there was a flash of pain and he was deactivated.

* * *

Megatron gloated. It was pathetically easy to win this battle. He was right, the Cybertonians here were fools, weak and easily subdued. Casting the off-line Prime to the ground Megatron turned. 'Astrotrain!

The triple changer gave a hiss of steam and drove out from the cover he had hid behind in train mode. His version of Starscream jumped from the roof top where he sniped Prime from. Thrust flew in low before transforming into his robot mode and Blitzwing marched closer.

'Load these four weaklings on Astrotrain before taking them to our new base.' He ordered before waking up to a terrified human news team and pointing at them. 'You. You will transmit this message across the world.' He fired a harmless energy burst through his finger to make the point. 'I am Megatron, Emperor of this pathetic world. Obey me and I may let you become my slaves. Defy me and the repercussions will be extreme. This city is now named Megatronia One. The first of many.'

Another news broadcaster stepped up. 'Fox news. What would you say to those who say death is better than slavery.' The humans voice cracked

Megatron was honest enough with himself to recognise the admiration he had for the fleshlings ambition. Also the way he said it. The perfect play on words, defiant yet not enough to anger him. He decided to play the same game. 'I would say that choice was... Unwise but witness the mercy of Megatron.' Looking around he saw that his Decepticons had finished the job.

With a wave of his arm he ordered them to transform and take off. The five of them rocketed off, Astrotrain in space shuttle mode. Floating up himself Megatron made to follow only to stop above the city and bellow; 'For I have none!' he finished and demonstrated his lack of mercy. An abject lesson for all those thinking of disobeying.

Shot, after shot, after shot of his fission particle cannon rained down on the city. Buildings collapsed, cars exploded and people burnt. Atomic detonations lifted rubble like rubbish caught in a strong wind. Somewhere a fuel pipe line ignited rippling across the ground like an earthquake.

The bombardment lasted a whole minute, Megatron flew back and forth over the landscape making sure nothing taller than himself survived. Eventually, his energon all but spent, Megatron looked over his work. Megatronia One was no more but still stood as a testament to his rule.

Yes, he was going to like it here.

* * *

John Keller watched it happen. Mission City razed to the ground by a single transformer after he had taken out Optimus Prime and two other Autobots. The gunships were still a few minutes out for all the good they could do. He sat back as the fools surrounding him gave the order for emergency teams to get there. For a cordon to keep the gathering news teams and people back.

All the while his mind racing, only one Autobot left. Lennox must have recognised what was going to happen. That only meant something had to have gone wrong. He looked again at the satellite image. Horribly wrong.

End chapter 1

Authors note:- I'm having fun with this one!


	3. Chapter 2

Keep Driving  
Chapter 2

Will Lennox watched in horror as the camera crew exploded and the screen de-solved into static. 'Megaton's dead. He has to be! Hasn't he?'

Ironhide gunned his engine faster. 'I... I don't know. Only someone with Megatron's programming could do what we have just seen. We have to get there, get there and see what we can do to find Prime and the others.'

They were the only car, other than news van's, trying to get to Mission City, or whatever this flying monster had called the city before cutting its heart out. Ironhide's internet connection let them download instant news for all the good it did.

'Will the support sent by Keller follow our command or will I have to follow theirs?' Ironhide asked professionally.

'I don't know.' Something about secretary Keller's short message worried Will but he couldn't place what it was. A low hum filled the air as four attack helicopters flew over head. 'But I think we're about to find out.' The aircraft pulled to a stop and turned, noses facing them and Will's bad feeling didn't go away. It got worse.

He'd been in special ops for a long while, earned a reputation for getting the job done with minimum losses. It wasn't boasting to say he also got the jobs done and done well. Part of this was because he developed a sense of when all hell was about to come down around him. Call it experience or just plain luck but it was there. 'Oh shit.'

'What is it?' Ironhide asked pulling to a quick stop. Each helicopter lit their targeting lasers. 'Oh slag.'

'Drive for it! Will shouted as Ironhide slammed into reverse just in time. High calibre rounds tore the road apart where they were but a second before. Shifting into first gear Ironhide darted forward like a striking cobra. Just fast enough to dodge the remaining helicopters missile that rocked Ironhide. Will was glad for his seat belt and grabbed the bottom of his seat tightly.

Several of the news vans pulled to a stop but they didn't stick around to explain. 'What in the name of the Allspark are your people doing?' Ironhide growled, almost sliding from one side of the road to the other.

'Plausible deniability.' Will ground out two of the worst words in the English language. 'That son of a bitch, I'll put my foot so far up his ass for this I'll be kicking teeth.'

'When you've finished.' Another missile was launched and Ironhide jumped into the air for a moment.

'Ugh' Will was glad his large friend had good suspension. 'The Government don't want to get caught working with aliens behind the backs of it's people. Someone must have had the idea...' One gunship came around in front of them and opened up with it's chain cannon.

The big GMC truck turned sharply, rolled over and then back on his wheels before pulling off the road. Will blinked, it was a classic combat shoulder roll. Just done by the car. 'Good one.' he said lamely.

'You were saying?' Ironhide rumbled kicking up the sand with his back tires.

'Yes... Someone had the bright idea to destroy the evidence. That way they can deny all knowledge of you guys.'

'...And I'm evidence.'

'We're evidence.' Will corrected. 'The sort of people who order this sort of thing don't care about life, just their own ass.'

'And these guys?' he asked. They were lucky as the sand kicked up a hell of a lot of dust and the heat of the desert made infrared iffy. The result was the gunships spraying the area with bullets.

Will winced as one tracer round came very close. Reminding him that they were not the only ones that could get lucky. 'They probably don't know any better. Just think we're with Megatron and his lot.'

'Slagging glitch of a pit spawned Decepticon.' He swore profusely and gunned his engine into over drive. They'll be picking parts of that Secretary Keller up for deca-cycle!'

'It might not be him. It might be some other asshole with the President's ear.'

* * *

Keller looked over the table at General Richard Marks III and his aid, Colonel Adams. It hadn't taken Keller long to narrow down which warmonger was the ring leader of this little coup, or why. The two of them had never liked each other, Keller liked to keep people alive and the casualties on both sides low. It made the politics easier, kept the media happy and helped relations with other nations.

Marks seemed to think Shock and Awe only worked when you were counting civilian casualties in cities rather than numbers. Keller was no angel but this guy answered every problem by throwing bodies and money in equal amount as at a problem until it went away. It was hard to tell if the General was pulling this off because he genuinely thought the Autobots were a threat or he just wanted to undo all the work Keller had put into building an alliance with the aliens.

Another Colonel came into the meeting room and saluted:- 'General, we just received a report from tracking. They can't find the captured aliens, our experts think their tracers are either being jammed or were destroyed.'

'Damn it, have the strike teams ready to scramble at a moments notice. I want them found and annihilated. Yes, what?' he barked at the Major that had just burst in to the meeting.

Eyes darting from side to side the subordinate saw the unknown Colonel and urgently whispered something to him. The Colonel blanched. 'Sir... sir the strike team you sent to... remove the remaining alien. They were spotted and are unable to complete the mission. They are requesting support.'

'Contact Banachek. Tell him I'm reactivating Sector Seven early and to send his pet Agent Simmons there. If he doesn't like it I can always find someone else to take over the operation.'

'Sector Seven was disbanded on order of the President.' Keller announced, reminding everyone.

''I asked the President to correct that oversight.' Marks smiled back. 'Sector Seven is the best defence we have against these things. It has been reformed under my direct command.'

'But it made no distinction between Autobot and Decepticon. It's better to work with the Autobots to develop our world and help defend against...'

'I don't care about auto-whatever and deception-clones. We're Americans. We don't need any ones help, least of all some walking scrap pile that isn't even from this planet.

'More of them arriving in secret. I tell you I still think this is all part of some invasion and your hippy tree hugging ways are just playing into their hands. Or whatever they've got.' Marks growled. 'I'm taking them down. One way or another.'

Keller looked at the man for a moment, whatever grudging respect he had for him fading fast. Closing his eyes the Defence Secretary could still see what the Decepticon had done to Mission City. Keller knew what would happen next, the amount of men that were going to be lost and whispered the only thing he could, 'God help us.'

* * *

Ratchet ran another check of his systems. Once again confirming it was the massive impact that had knocked him into status lock rather than accumulated damage. Unlike Optimus.

His leader and friend was still off-line and hanging between two purple metal poles. They were the only things holding him up. Both knee structures were shattered and it would take nothing less than a complete refit and rebuild to make him stand again, let alone walk. Transforming might also be effected.

While most of the extreme damage was focused on his legs Ratchet could also detect minor damage throughout Prime's exostructure. Probably from the tank shell. Still he shouldn't have been off-line that long. He struggled against his bonds to get a better diagnosis.

' "It's no use Doc...'" "...we're here for the duration". ' Bumblebee played a pair of sound clips. The Autobot lieutenant was on the other side of Optimus, bound on his knees and arms behind his back, just like Ratchet. At least this gave him a chance to see what the Decepticons had used.

It was sort of like what they had strung Prime up with, an odd cross between energy bonds and dense metal. It glowed magenta and felt far stronger than it should have been. He pulled at them again before a sudden charge of disrupting energy ran through him. The red and white jet Decepticon stepped into view, in one bulky hand he held a slim device.

'Oh I'm sorry,' His high pitched voice grated on Ratchets audio processors with false sympathy. 'Did my finger slip?' Then he pressed the device and the charge ran through the bonds again.

Only this time Bumblebee called out in shock and pain. The charge was enough to reactivate Optimus who struggled limply against his own bonds. When the charge was cut Optimus tried to look around 'What? What hit?' the big Autobot gasped before a sub system just under his neck shorted out and his head rolled limply.

'Ahh I see our guest of honour is awake. Good, I would so hate you missing this.' It was the big silver and black decepticon. The one that had knocked Ratchet and Bumblebee away like two bags full of lug-nuts. He simply stepped up and ripped the device from his warriors hand. 'See to the perimeter.' he ordered.

'You do not tell me what to do. For I am...' The Decepticon warrior trailed off as his leader just gave him a long slow look. Sullenly he obeyed.

'Me... Megatron. How?' Optimus ground out into his own chest bringing everyone's attention back to him. Somewhere inside one of his supports must have blown, Ratchet was now certain his internal systems were badly damaged somehow. Not least because Megatron was dead. He had to be.

'I have to say you have no idea how gratifying this is Prime.' The Decepticon ignored Optimus's question and grabbed his damaged face, lifting it up. 'After millions of years to see you, even a pale copy of you, so weak. So helpless. You have been a thorn in my side for over nine millennia, if only it was enough to crush your pathetic shell here and now.'

With his free hand the Decepticon plunged into Optimus's abdomen, pulling out a handful of systems, wires and components. For a horrible moment Ratchet watched the light of his friends optics fade. Then with cruel detachment the Decepticon examined the wires and reattached two that Ratchet recognised. Part of the primary power network, Optimus's eyes lit up again before the Deception pulled the wires apart again.

'Stop it!' Ratchet shouted. 'Anymore and you'll extinguish his Spark!'

'You're right of course.' He nodded before fixing the wires together. 'Are you alright Prime. Need anything? Energon? A nice cool oil change?' Sarcasm was almost dripping to the floor in big horrible drops. 'I know why don't I just fix that pesky neck problem you seem to have developed.' With a quick and brutal move the Decepticon wrenched Optimus's head around, shattering half the support systems before grinding it back into his torso. Optimus couldn't move his head if he tried. 'There, now you're looking up. There is something I want to show you. Wait here.' Chuckling at his own joke he left, Walking behind them where they could not see.

'S... Slag.' Bumblebee gasped after a moment. 'That really was him, but even worse.'

Ratchet just couldn't accept that was Megatron but no other Decepticon could come close 'It's not Megatron; his Spark was annihilated, his body crushed in the freezing depths.'

'It... It is.' Optimus somehow said between clenched pistons and fused mouth plates. 'I saw it in his optics, heard it in his voice. I... I don't know how but it's him.'

The new Decepticon came back into view, being followed by the one Decepticon around here they knew, Starscream. His repairs looked half finished almost on purpose. 'I would like you to meet my new warrior. When I've finished he'll be the first of... ohh I don't know. How many Autobots are there on this world?'

'What are you planning?' Prime asked point blank.

He lent in. 'First I want you to know why I'm telling you. This isn't because there's nothing you can do about it, even like this you Primes are resilient and tenacious. I'm sure you're planing a way out. It might even work, if you had the time. I'm sure your reinforcements are looking for you, even after we blocked all transmissions out of this canyon they might find this base.

'I'm telling you because it's not enough to simply defeat you. To kill you and all your Autobots. I must destroy everything you hold dear and I must make you watch. Everything you stand for must be ground under my feet and you must see it happen.

'This is the first of my experiments here.' he suddenly pointed at Starscream. 'He will become my most loyal warrior and then so will all of you.'

'What have you done to him?' Ratchet asked.

'I think the best fit is a word the flesh creatures that scurry about this world use. Zombie.' The Decepticon gloated. 'Experiment; show our inquisitive friends he back of your head.'

Absently, almost as if it was an everyday occurrence, Starscream removed his own head and turned it around in his hands, the back had been removed along with most of the processors. 'By the AllSpark!' Optimus gasped and Ratchet understood. Starscream's mind was removed, he had been turned into nothing more than a drone with a spark.

'As soon as I have perfected the process with him I start with you. Then, once the commanders are finished, I start on this worlds technology. Hundreds of millions of slave drones that obey only me. Not terribly original I admit but we all have to start somewhere.

'How does it feel Prime?' the monstrous Decepticon asked slyly. 'To know that all too soon you will be nothing more than this. Leaping at the opportunity to kill murder and enslave all the beings in the universe.' Then he laughed, he laughed as if his sanity chips had long since fused. He laughed as only Megatron could.

* * *

Ironhide grunted and crushed the small metal tag between his massive fingers. Throwing the crumbs away he muttered. 'That takes care of that.' Stretching his sensors to full the weapons expert looked around. They had found shelter in a small wooded area at the base of a the mountain range near the dam that served as Autobot HQ.

'What do we do now?' The human asked and Ironhide was tempted to answer back with his cannons.

Instead he just growled. 'Why should I trust you, Captain? Your people are trying to kill me.'

'They are trying to kill both of us here remember. Whatever evidence there was we were going to work together has probably been destroyed and those not too high ranked are either being transferred to the other side of the planet or going to have an accident. The same sort of "accident" that I'm going to have.' Will announced

'They would deactivate you, what of your youngling?' Ironhide had not spent long with the human officer but knew he had a strong bond with the small life-form he had helped create.

'They don't know or wouldn't give a damn if they did. These people are told what they need to know and nothing more.'

'And your commanders allow this?' Ironhide asked incredibly shocked at the idea.

'Those are the guys responsible for doing it. Not all commanders here are like Optimus, they don't care about us and are ruthless in their own back yard. Good leaders are few and far between. Come on.'

In full stealth mode the two of them crept between the large plants, Ironhide ducking the occasional branch. 'Are you sure they can't seen you through this lot?' Lennox asked again.

'Positive, I'm controlling my external temperature to match atmospheric settings. With the wood covering us we are invisible.'

'Great, now where can we go from here.'

Ironhide checked his tracking system and location. 'The dam.' He said choosing the direction and pointing himself in that direction.

'Are you crazy, that's the first place they'll look. They know we were lost near here so it the first thing they'll do.'

'Our options are limited. They have us pinned down and it is only a matter of time before they enter on foot...'

'That would be pretty stupid of them, I wish that was surprising.'

Ironhide ignored him. '... and Optimus's orders not to harm humans are still in effect.'

Lennox looked at him sharply. 'Meaning you can't shoot them, not even to wound.' Then the human looked at the massive cannon for a moment. 'Not that that was going to be easy.'

Then Ironhide's tracking system faired. 'Volume mute.' he ordered and focussed in on the disturbance. On the nearest edge of the wooded area a large black vehicle pulled to a stop. A group of people in suits came out with what looked to be modified hand held radiation sensors. Behind them an army transport truck stopped next to them. The men in suits pointed into the woods, almost at Lennox and Ironhide and the human military unpacked large sabot round lunching weapons.

'Slag,' Ironhide grumbled, remembering the report given by Bumblebee's charge. 'They've got Sector Seven Agents equipped with spark detectors.'

'Don't miss a trick do they. I take it there's nothing you can do about that.' Ironhide nodded.

'It won't be long, I suggest you save yourself.' The weapon's specialist said sombrely. 'Probability calculations are not favourable.'

'Long odds huh? I guess I can live with them, hell I never wanted to live forever.'

Ironhide opened his mouth, about to insist when his tracking system picked up something else. It was small, fast and heading straight for them. Spinning his right plasma cannon up he pointed it in the direction it approached from. At right angles to the encroaching humans.

It was small. A six-wheeled vehicle with four back to back seats only just big enough for a human. A small light on its raised back began flashing as it bleeped and whistled to Ironhide.

What is it? Lennox asked urgently.

Ironhide ran the sounds though a filter. The code was old but undoubtedly Cybertronian. 'It's a drone of some kind, it's speaking in an Autobot code frequency. Relaying a message from someone.'

'What's it saying then?'

'There a few bits I can't decrypt but someone has a plan to get us out of here. They want to know if we're up for it.'

* * *

Humans are, it has been noticed, very strange lifeforms. They do not always react the way you would expect. While most of the world was watching the unfolding drama of the Decepticon attack on television one couple had taken the opportunity to sneak out of their houses and meet.

Jimmy was an average kid whose "big thing" was his new motorbike. While most people survived with pedal powered transport his family owned a Motorbike showroom. He had taken advantage of this to impress the girl of his dreams, Becky. In all honesty she didn't need that much to impress her as you would be hard pressed to find a human with less intelligence. In that respect the two of them were perfect for each other

Together they had rode out of their home city of Chicago for a local hotspot. One of those infamous places that teenagers somehow think adults have no idea about.

Even with the threat of the whole world's enslavement neither were concerned about anything but this one night. A night they had been planning for a whole week. So concerned with their "plans" they didn't notice the dull crumple of something landing on the Earth.

Nor did they see a delicately built robot stumble into view. The robot did however notice them. Running what it's visual systems picked up it recognised that the two humans were interfacing directly without external casings. Quickly averting it's optics from them in modesty it began looking this way and that. It saw Jimmy's Japanese built super-bike and scanned it.

Completely unaware of what was happening Jimmy and Becky continued to enjoy each others company as the robot shifted and contorted quietly into it's new alternate form. Silently it rolled away, scanning the planets computer network for a suitable hologram the Autobot found one.

Activating a image of a medium sized, attractive, female in a white and pink racing suit the Autobot searched for the location given by her leader. A few minutes later she was heading for the dam, blissfully unaware of the devastation that awaited her.

End Chapter 2


	4. Chapter 3

Keep Driving  
Chapter 3

Authors note:-  
Just thought I'd clarify something that happened last chapter. Megatron (G1) is lobotomising the 2007 movie-verse Starscream. Sorry if this is confusing, and I'm afraid its going to get worse this chapter!

* * *

Ironhide ducked under a branch, cursing his own height and the sound his motors made. One wrong move and he would give their position away like he had shouted it. The small blue drone they were following was running silently on what had to be a pure energon motor. Rather impressive and totally silent.

'Where are we heading?' Captain Lennox asked

Ironhide looked down 'Like I know. A better question is who sent this thing to us.'

The small vehicle bleeped at them, lennox looked to Ironhide for translation.

' "A friend" that's all it will say.' Then it suddenly stopped.

Whistling and bleeping some more Ironhide had to make a radical adjustment to his thinking. This was no ordinary drone. For one thing it appeared to have a dry sense of humour and another was, despite the lack of vocal processor, it had a much larger vocabulary than most drones.

Ironhide didn't wait for the captain to ask. He just translated; 'The plan's simple. Whoever is controlling this drone also has a large transport and some sort of sonic / light show set up. They're going bombard the whole area with it while we slip aboard the transport.'

'... And that's going to work. How can we trust this thing.'

'The code it's speaking with is old Cybertronian. There's no way Sector Seven could understand it. As for how it's going to work, I'm going to have to shut down my audio receptors and set optical filters to full polarity.'

'Where's that leave me?' Lennox asked. The small vehicle spun in place, to face the human.

It bleeped something off hand.

'It suggests you wrap a jacket over your head and put sunglasses on, though not in that order.'

'You sure that's what is said?' Lennox asked

Ironhide replied; 'I am.' The human nodded and did as he was asked. Ironhide transformed and painfully rolled slowly over the rough ground. The little drone spun it's two rearmost wheels one after another after it pulled up next to him. They were ready.

For a moment Ironhide could feel his chronometer ticking by, then finally the drone whistled one word. Go. They did just that, Ironhide killed his audio receptors just in time.

Long before the war young Cybertronians would be fascinated by laser light shows. Some artists would project carefully calculated patterns on the sides of buildings, some even going as far as to make statues of shifting light out of towers and spires. Ironhide had never seen anything practical in it and had spent most of his time in construction. Right now he learnt just how wrong he was.

The light show was far more than that, it was if the world had exploded into conflicting colours and shapes. Spots danced before Ironhide's optics, moving between laser beams that would intersect. Becoming all manner of angles. Risking a glance he shifted his view to the Sector Seven agents. From the looks of things the sound must have been terrible. The humans were curling into tight balls around their heads. Trying to hide from the so called distraction.

Switching back to find the Drone Ironhide saw a large lorry pull up with terrifying speed. Before it had even stopped the back door of its steel grey trailer slammed into the ground, in bright red the Autobot symbol was emblazoned on the containers side. Not very subtle but right now Ironhide didn't care, it was a welcome sight. Almost riding the bumper of the small drone he drove right inside, as he slid on his own brakes the trailer door closed and the whole thing took off again.

In all it had taken less than two seconds. So fast Ironhide had almost missed it when someone scanned him

* * *

Captain Varley had reacted instantly. He had thought, at first, that something had exploded down there. Varley had wrenched his controls, sending his attack helicopter up and away, completely on instinct. The light and sound had been incredible but it wasn't the split second flash of fire or the single percussion beat of a explosion. Wrestling to get control again he got his aircraft to point in the right direction but his vision was filled with all sorts of lights 'This is Attack-One to ground unit. What's going on down there?' he barked into the microphone.

As soon as Varley had finished speaking his vision cleared. 'Attack-Two here sir.' His wing reported in from the other side of the wooded area. 'We're on approach.' Varley acknowledged the message and was about to make a low pass when he saw it. A black GMC truck with smoke stacks powering away down the road, trying to hide behind a civilian lorry. A few things clicked in place then, not least that the robotic alien had set up some sort of distraction.

With Attacks Three and Four refuelling and Two out of position he had to be the only aircraft that could see it. No response from the ground meant that they were badly effected by whatever had been used out there. 'Target fleeing area at speed. Heading south on main road.' Varley reported. He was good, but not good enough. That monster was going to pay for what his people did to Mission City. Swooping in Varley tried to get a clean shot but it hung to the side of that damned lorry. An old military jeep was also close, the alien was using them as shields. Varley decided to spook the civilians, with a quick burst of his chain cannon he tore up the road.

The jeep skidded to a stop, same for the lorry. They were still in the way of a clean shot though, if he didn't get one soon the target could have time to try something else. The target didn't. Attack-Two had taken an oblique angle, the sudden loss of his shield made the target a perfect kill from that position.

Twin air to ground missiles smashed into the side and ground respectively. Varley didn't want to risk it though and sent two of his own into the explosion, chain cannon spitting armour piercing hot-load rounds. 'Report to base command. Attack-One confirming target destroyed. That's one alien we don't need to worry about.'

* * *

Secretary Keller heard the message and shook his head. Both he and General Marks had been summoned by the President for a quick press conference. His job was to assure the public and answer political questions. The general to outline their basic strategy and defence.

Privately Keller couldn't think of one defensive measure that would work. It was difficult defeating the first batch of Decepticons even with the Autobots help. These new Decepticons seemed to be more powerful and now the last Autobot that could have helped was just executed for political expediency. In the Press Room the PA announced him and he swallowed his fear. This was where he had to make his move.

As he entered the room and got on the stage. he was bombarded by questions and flash lights. He refused to say anything until they calmed down and held both hands up to show as much. When they did settle down he began:- 'Today Mission City was attacked my a technologically advance enemy. We know very little about them or what their goal is. We can confirm that the same enemy was responsible for the recent attacks at our base in Qatar. The President would like to assure the international community that we are in full control of the situation and that we do not require assistance of any kind. I, personally, would advise the leaders of this world to work closely to seal their borders and protect themselves from any attack.

'Now before I ask you for questions I want to remind you that General Richard Marks III will be giving the military briefing. So can we keep the questions pertinent and get through them quickly.' There was an out burst of reporters and quite randomly Keller pointed at one in a smart suit and tie. 'Yes?'

'Thank you, BBC, erm.' Keller hid a grin, while he should have picked a home grown news reporter the British had a well earned reputation for doing a good job. 'Mr Secretary, it seems pointless to ask whether or not this enemy is from anywhere on this planet. However it appears that there were perhaps two factions involved in the attack on Mission City, can you shed any light on this?'

You could always count on the English to go for the hard questions. They had also given him the perfect leverage. 'We do not know. You are correct that our current assumption is that this threat is extraterrestrial in origin.' That got a brief reaction from the reporters. Keller had to shout over them 'There is evidence that there two factions, however we do not know what that means and are working under the assumption that the group that won the battle at Mission City are extremely hostile and must be stopped.

'Next question.' Keller pointed at a young woman.

She stood and pulled a stack of papers. 'CNN; I have to ask what everyone else is. Just what are they?'

Keller answered. 'We are sending a full report to all news broadcasters here and governments around the word. Put simply we believe them to be technological chameleons. Capable of changing form into anything of equal size. From fighter jets to tanks and even cars, fortunately we also believe they are in limited numbers and working in a single unit.'

'Will we be using nuclear weapons against them?' she jumped in with another question.

'That is a military question. But before I hand over to the General I would like to say I hope we can take care of this situation with out resorting to weapons of mass destruction.' Keller stepped down as the reporters barraged him with more questions and the General approached him.

'What are you up to Keller?'' he growled between smiling teeth.

'We both know there's nothing I can do but try and save my own ass. Wish me luck.'

'You're going to need it by the time I'm though with you.' With that the conceited asshole stood at the podium and began spinning tales of how the latest weapons could disable any threat. Keller didn't even bother listening, Now he had made his move Marks would wait to see what good it did before reacting. He could afford to and with the Decepticons to worry about he wouldn't deal with a minor annoyance like Keller.

His mistake, because there was one thing he had to do. On his way out he requested a chopper to get him to the dam at Mission City. If he could convince everyone he was visiting the wreckage it would look like he was trying to earn points with voters. Really he had a far greater reason, Keller had a promise to keep.

* * *

Will felt the truck pull to a stop finally and let out a breath. 'We got away?' he asked himself in disbelief. It was pitch black inside what Ironhide had said was a trailer attached to a flat fronted cab.

'That we did Captain Lennox.' Ironhide answered. 'A bit cramped, but we survived.' That's when the fist in a very long list of interesting things happened. The roof of the trailer cracked open. Will thought it was just a sunroof to let in some light but then he saw that the sides were falling away. The whole trailer opened up and Will got his first look around.

It looked like a wide flat bed trailer now, with all sorts of electronic equipment and screens dotted around. At the back squatted a control cockpit covered in quasi-transparent orange glass. What looked to be a communications dish unfolded on one side of it. 'Nice set up, command base?' Will asked

Ironhide transformed and stood up. 'I didn't recognise the Autobot, or the Drone, or this transport. Their escape plan worked well but I don't know how. The humans should have picked us off the moment the distraction cut off.'

'Well there was that massive explosion just after whoever was driving slammed us about.' Will remembered looking around. They had pulled up to a blind bluff, just up past the road. They were hidden from just about every view point. If they were looking for a hiding place they couldn't have found anyplace better.

A dirt green transformer that looked like it became an old fashioned jeep walked up to them from the road. He was flanked by another in white and blue with a two tone visor. 'That was me. A little hologram I built from a quick scan while you got on board. I'm Hound.' Will had never seen an Autobot like him, overly blocky and with a very human mouth. His eyes were solid blue plates of glass, opposed to the faceted inset cameras Ironhide had. Will also noted the massive rocket on the Autobots shoulder and the bright red face on the jeep bonnet that made it's chest.

'And I'm Jazz by the way, I'm the one that provided the light show.' His partner nodded.

Ironhide's right cannon spun up as he stepped down from the trailer. 'Hound died less than a mega-cycle before the Allspark was lost. Jazz was ripped apart no more than a couple of days ago. Now who are you two?'

'Now you just back down over there boy' Another blocky Autobot came out from behind them. This one entirely red save for the white outline on his badge and the rectangular glass chest plate. He also had a Southern Twang and gruff attitude. By his side was a matching robot but in white and with a medics red cross on both it's shoulders

'And what if I don't.' Ironhide rumbled, his left cannon un-spooling. Still both his arms were down but Will could tell his big friend was tense and ready to move in a split second. 'The hologram trick won't keep them fooled for long. They can track our spark emissions.'

'Not with proper shielding they can't.' The white one barked, almost as gruff as his twin. Another car pulled up and transformed into a fourth Autobot. 'What are you doing marching around a planet with an unshielded spark core?'

'What do you mean shielding?' Ironhide asked but they were interrupted when a small, yellow, VW beetle pulled up from the road.

It transformed into a small yellow and black Autobot, only just taller than Will, with tiny horns on it's head. 'We're clear, most of the humans are too busy sifting through the wreckage. By the time they realise there's nothing but that scrap we planted our trail will be cold.'

'Not with this fool wandering around with an unshielded spark. What are you thinking, a big enough EM charge and you'll burn out.'

Ironhide didn't bother answering, he just looked at the newest arrival and said. 'What's he supposed to be; Target practice? I've seen target drones bigger.'

With one hand Ironhide was lifted from the ground by the red one. 'You got a problem with Bumblebee you've got one with me. No one picks on my friends, got that?'

'Ironhide. Stand down.' It was Optimus Prime, his voice at least. The red Autobot let go and Ironhide fell slightly. Will looked and saw who was talking. It both was Optimus Prime and wasn't at the same time. Head and shoulders taller, even wider than the Autobot leader he knew this guy was red silver and blue. Blocky like the others his chest was almost a solid block made from a trucks cab. 'Now I am Optimus Prime Leader of the Autobots and what I am about to tell you is the truth...'

* * *

Arcee pulled to a stop and scanned the area. It was an energy generating dam, capable of generating a fairly decent amount of energy. The scale of it was impressive, even if the construction wasn't. But this wasn't the Auto-base she was expecting at these co-ordinates. For one there was none of the usual Autobot symbols, even secret ones

The other reason was the amount of flying human transports that were hovering around the area. She had picked up the transmission from the humans and didn't trust them. They knew there were two factions but weren't making a distinction between them.

Not that Arcee could blame them. She had seen what had happened to the city near by and it was devastating. Arcee could tell the humans knew more than they were saying, that they had found the base and secured it was evidence of that. She had seen the repeated broadcast of the new Decepticon attack. How her friends, even Bumblebee, were smashed down.

The other Autobots on Earth would see that too. It was standard practice at that point to regroup here, at the nearest Auto-base to the attack. She was already was formulating a plan to get in when a new transport quickly swooped in and landed.

Transforming Arcee crept behind a stone boulder, activating her long range vision. The new transport had only just touched down when a human jumped out, Arcee recognised him from the transmission as Defence Secretary Keller. One of the humans went out to meet him. While her audio couldn't pick up their discussion over the transports rotor blades she could tell this human, Keller, had a certain authority.

The other one saluted again and spoke into small box on his jacket. With practised efficiency the human military moved. Evacuating the dam and moving in the direction of the city. Keller did not follow or lead them however. The human that had given her the perfect opportunity simply watched his people leave before entering the base.

Arcee transformed and gunned her engine. Bouncing from cover to cover she made it quickly to the main entrance before transforming back into robot mode. She liked here motorbike alternate mode but it was a bit loud for this.

The inside of the dam was cavernous and built into the rock. the first room she came across must have been built for something else but what she couldn't tell. She could tell that it was the medical officer, Ratchet, that had started building the simple repair alcoves in the side of the room. Someone had stared building a computer bank on a plinth in the centre. It was as if the base hadn't been finished yet.

There was also what looked to be human equipment thrown into the corner. It was in that corner the human known as Keller was rummaging through. 'Yes found you.' he said pulling out a scrap-let of burnt slag and shaking his head. Arcee was close enough now, drawing her crossbow launcher she loaded it with missile and pointed it at the human.

She knew he would have heard the click of the missile engaging . As he spun she pointed the weapon and he came face to face with it. 'Hi there, so what is that?' Arcee asked with false peasantry.

He frowned at her before catching a glimpse of the Autobot symbol on her crossbow. 'You're an Autobot. You've got to listen to me, Optimus Prime and his team have been by captured by some new and improved version of Megatron. My government can't risk him surviving, and some very powerful people want your technology.'

'That doesn't explain what you're doing here, or what that is.'

'It's what's left of the Allspark.' Arcee stepped back. She had seen it once, centuries ago. When the cube was whole, she saw the burnt edge and the ancient cybertronian symbols half destroyed.

'No, it can't be gone. It is the life force of a whole planet. My world...' Arcee lowered her weapon.

Keller hung his head for a moment. 'I'm sorry. I promised Optimus if anything happened to him I would protect the Allspark.' The human laughed quickly. 'I never thought I would have to do it though.'

'With the Allspark gone this is the only world we know of that can support us.' Arcee admitted. 'And with Megatron still here, that powerful...'

'I know. That's why I'm here. If you do what I say we might get out of this. All of us.'

End Chapter 3

* * *

Authors note

There is an interesting point about Keller being trusted to guard the Allspark. I know that at first glance there might be a problem with it, but I'm sure if you think about what the Defence Secretary is faced with you'll figure out he's got nothing to lose. As for Prime's story, stay tuned!


	5. Chapter 4

Keep Driving  
Chapter 4

Authors note:-  
I'm bringing another crossover into this story, or more accurately with this chapter I am tying this story with a large series of crossovers I've been working on for a few years. Don't worry, the stories are self contained so you don't need to read them all to keep up with it.

* * *

'How did you survive? I saw your spark extinguished by the power of the Cube!' Megatron looked up form his work on what was left of the inferior Decepticon's brain. 'Answer me Megatron!' Prime shouted again.

The Decepticon commander growled, it was good that Prime was here to witness his victory. If only it was his Prime. 'Didn't old Alpha Trion program you with manners in this dimension? Don't you know it's impolite to interrupt someone while they are busy with an experiment?' He saw the out right shock on his rivals face. 'Yes, while your Megatron was defeated I travelled across reality itself. From an Earth much like this one, where I and your counterpart fought much as you did.

'However my war has not been ended by some pathetic flesh creature with an ancient relic. A battle brought me here, damaged my new Space Bridge and cast me and my most loyal warriors into nothingness and then here. And my own Starscream came with us.' Megatron added and looked to his aerial lieutenant. The only thing trustworthy about him was his cowardliness in battle.

The red and white seeker looked back at him. 'My time will come Megatron, you'll see. When you least expect it you will accept me as the true leader I am.' Megatron shook his head and chucked.

'Don't forget,' the jet continued in his high pitched voice. 'It was your arrogance that let the Autobots find us.'

Megatron turned on his screeching warrior. 'And it was your incompetence that let them surprise us and damage the controls! Fortunately it all turned out for the best and Prime cannot follow us.'

'Not from our dimension... Space Bridge...' The chained Prime said. 'Then there is someone who can stop you. You are not all powerful after all.'

'That's where you are wrong Prime. Your counterpart has the Matrix of Leadership and is only just a match for me. You have nothing, and without your precious Cube no access to anything like that power. Yes I know all about the battle in the city we left. You might be glad to know I extracted my namesakes revenge. If that boy was still there he would not have survived.'

'What do you mean dimension' The green clad Autobot struggled to rise and failed. Megatron looked at the three of them for a moment and decided to tell them

( Another dimention, two days earlier )

'What are you blathering on about Starscream?' Megatron asked his Lieutenant without looking. The traitorous Seeker stammered for a moment before announcing:

'Me and the others think you're making a mistake Megatron. One that could destroy us all.'

Slowly he turned and looked at the fool, the handful of Decepticons Starscream had been trying to recruit stepped back from their ring leader. 'Really?' Megatron replied, narrowing his optical scanners. Starscream looked about realising his support was not as strong as he hoped. 'How, pray tell, have you seen a problem I have failed to address?'

Starscream gulped before pointing at the sky. 'Your new toy affects the weather for this whole region. The Autobots can detect it with their over-powerful computer.'

'Even if they do detect something, it won't do them any good. We'll be long gone to Cybertron with the energon we've collected.' Megatron waved at the pile of glowing energy they had gathered. With it they had enough to recharge the Decepticon army, Megatron planned to return and destroy Prime and his friends with overwhelming numbers.

However Starscream had a point, Optimus Prime had a nasty habit of appearing where he was least wanted. 'Take your little band of scrap yard rejects and scout the area. I want to know if anything larger than an insect comes within ten miles.'

Starscream smirked before turning to his gang. 'You heard our illustrious leader. Spread out, advanced search pattern.' He transformed and took off. As he rose into the sky Megatron twitched his right hand. It was so tempting to destroy the little slagger right here and now. But, as always, he was too useful to kill, yet another reason to destroy the Autobots. As soon as the seeker was no longer useful Megatron planed to destroy the traitor in ways that would give even him nightmares.

He stomped down to the great ring that made up the Space Bridge. Soundwave was guiding Hook and Bonecrusher in some of the finer points. 'Report.'

Project nearing completion.' Soundwave's monotone voice responded, even though he didn't look up. 'Information retrieved from alien science expedited construction.'

Bonecrusher looked around. 'He's right There are a lot of little problems that would have taken us ages to figure out without someone .'

'So why have you not completed the device?' Megatron asked almost civilly.

'While the information on the Stargate Soundwave ripped from the fleshlings mind is more than useful this is far beyond their understanding of the technology.'

Soundwave agreed 'Confirmed. Stargate technology requires both transmitter and receiver stations. Space Bridge requires only transmitter.'

'This is a significant improvement over it.' Bonecrusher announced, his fellow Constructicons agreed. Right now he didn't care how big an advancement this was over the ancient flesh creatures achievements. All he cared about was how long it took to get working.

It was then a small panel on Megatron's arm flicked open. 'Kickback to Megatron. Auto...FAZZAK' the radio crackled. Kickback wasn't part of Starscream's group, in fact the Insecticons were a lot closer after gathering the materials needed for the space bridge. The Decepticon leader turned in time to see an Autobot task force bounce over a blind sand dune and transform.

'PRIME.' Megatron bellowed and fired before any of the Autobots landed, but he wasn't fast enough. Tracks had begun to transform before jumping, the lucky Autobot scored a hit with his black light laser, engulfing Megatron in a darkness blacker than night. Blinded, Megatron couldn't tell if he had hit anything or not with his own wild shot.

Stumbling backwards he heard Soundwave ejecting his cassettes, with a good number of Decepticons out of position they needed all the troops they had. Not to mention heavy firepower. Even blinded his Warriors could still follow his orders. 'Constructicons, form Devastator!'

Megatron knew the effects wouldn't last much longer but until then he was worse than helpless. He was a menace to his own Decepticons. Even as he heard the titanic gestalt merge he threw himself to one side, hopefully away from anyone's firing solutions, and brought his radio up. 'Starscream you useless slag heap! Get back here!' The two triple changers were with him, along with Devastator they would crush whatever resistance Prime had arranged.

Then, as always, things went badly for him. First of all Megatron's vision began to clear, instead of helping this just let him see exactly how many Autobots Prime had with him. The answer was too many, a whole army. Easily more than a match for his own forces. Their surprise attack had already cost him three and his position on top of the sand bank.

Second problem was the Autobots had taken up position covering the Energon cubes, there was no way Megatron could get to them without being cut down. In effect the whole Space Bridge plan had been thwarted in a single move.

Lastly his major advantage was nullified. As Devastator brought his gun around the accursed Aerialbots began a strafing run. Megatron brought his gun up to take out their lead member when Prime hit him with an ionised shot. Disrupting his power system and his aim. The weakened blast missed completely, instead it hit the unfinished Space Bridge controls.

At the last instant, between one shot and the next the five Autobot jets combined into their own gestalt form. Superion. A match for Devastator in all but raw strength.

As the two giants struggled Megatron rolled to his feet and searched for something, anything, to fight back with. Soundwave had caught his own share of Autobot weapons fire and lay on his front, smoke rising from his torso.

Grabbing the discarded gun the Decepticon leader opened fire on the Autobot position. As he did the Decepticon reinforcements headed by Starscream swooped in from the side and fired.

It was no use as Prime's forces split, with Prime himself and two others charging Megatron and the others firing on Starscream group. Throwing caution, and Soundwave's blaster, to the wind Megatron charged Prime across the firing line. A small dial in his vision scrolling back, telling him how long until internal repairs had finished with his primary power.

If Megatron could keep Prime off balance for just a few seconds longer. If Starscream could do his job right for a change. If his hated foe was just that fraction overconfident... Any other ifs were lost.

Someone fired wide. A missile hit the stack of glowing Energon Cubes. In a thunderous explosion they released their energy, scattering Autobot's, Decepticons and rocks alike across the desert battlefield. If Megatron was active when the blast hit him his memory chips weren't.

The next thing he knew the Decepticon leader, Starscream, Blitzwing, Astrotrain and Thrust were in the massive ring that made up the Space Bridge. Standing up Megatron looked around, all that energon lost was enough to drive him to the brink of madness. He didn't have time to rage, however, because as soon as he turned on his useless warriors the whole device lit up.

Great shafts of energy fired at a point high above their heads and tore a wormhole in the universe, the vast pressures involved sucked Megatron and everything inside up and out of their dimension.

* * *

'So what were they working on? Some sort of weather based weapon, or was it an energy syphon?' Optimus asked Wheeljack while he watched the surviving Decepticons retreat. The Aerialbots were closer to the energon explosion and in no state to follow them. Still, finally, Megatron was gone. Possibly forever. Without him holding them together the Decepticons were hardly a threat.

'I don't know Prime.' The scientist was playing around with a sparking control console. With Preceptor still in the Asguard galaxy Wheeljack was left as chief scientist. 'As far as I can tell there's nothing here to control the weather and it's for projecting energy not stealing it. What looks like a dimensional control, and a deep space relay. This was built for something big.'

'Communications, but who with?' Optimus guessed

Wheeljack shook his head. 'Don't think so, but someone has programmed in a set of co-ordinates. Looks like the Deception command complex on Cybertron.' Wheeljack suddenly looked up from the controls. 'It couldn't be, but it would explain what happened to Megatron.'

'What would?'

'My guess is it's a transmitter, of matter. Something like a teleport but on a massive scale. Using wormholes to send something, anything, to anywhere else in space.'

'Like a Stargate?' Prime got a terrible feeling about the situation. 'Good grief. Wheeljack could it be that Megatron wasn't destroyed when this thing overloaded but sent somewhere else?'

'It's more than possible, the only question is where. The controls are so messed up he could be anywhere. Cybertron, Mars, somewhere on Earth. Maybe even in the middle of next week if there's a temporal drift. Thing is we won't know until I've had more time to study this lump of junk.' He gestured at the console.

( The movie-verse, now )

'Wheeljack discovered that the whole system was fused, the wormhole had opened with no working co-ordinates. He reasoned that the wormhole had to open somewhere and as the dimensional stabiliser had never been finished it wasn't hard to guess where.' Optimus explained to the confused native Autobot and his human companion.

'Nice job, instead of dealing with your problem you foisted him of on us.' The Autobot growled folding his arms around the oversized cannons grafted there.

'You better watch your lip kid before I program some humility into ya with my fist.' Ironhide growled, the two of them seemed to have hit it off badly. Insulting Bumblebee within the old security officer's audio range did that. 'We didn't foist old Meg's on anyone. The old devil got more lives than an Earth cat and always finds a way to survive.'

That was true, many was the time Megatron had fallen. Only to rise again more powerful and even more twisted. 'If we did not feel responsible for Megatron's actions here we would no have come.' Optimus explained. 'He is a danger to any reality he finds himself in. We were afraid that this world would have no Autobot presence and the people here were unprepared for such an attack.'

'Got that right.' The human pointed out. 'We thought we had dealt with all this.'

'I take it you have a plan?' The native Autobot asked.

Optimus nodded. 'All we have to do is keep Megatron occupied, Wheeljack is working on a recall device. The trail Megatron left, the one we followed here, works like a tether. Given enough time we should all be yanked back by that tether. Decepticons and Autobots alike.'

'But he's got our Prime, Bumblebee and Ratchet. God only knows what he'll get up to with them in the meantime.' the Human said

'We know. Our mission is made that much more difficult by your governments interference. Is there someway we can communicate with them? Make them understand we are not their enemy?' he asked the Autobot.

He just huffed 'Wish there were. We were supposed to be friends before turned on us in our hour of need.'

'I keep telling you it has nothing to do with me, someone in the chain of command is giving the orders. I'm in as much trouble as the rest of you.'

Optimus sighed. 'Political agendas, I thought I'd had enough of them back on Cybertron.' But they were nothing compared to the knots the people of Earth tie themselves in he reminded himself. 'If that's how we have to handle this so be it.

'We need to rescue your companions. Disrupt whatever Megatron is planning and then convince the peoples of Earth the Autobots mean them no harm.' Tall order, especially given they didn't know how long they had in this world.

'And how do you expect to do that?' the human responded. 'Ironhide here isn't exactly the cuddliest face you're likely to see. And no offence but are going to just seem nuts with this whole other dimensions story.'

Optimus watched "his" Ironhide look in shock at this counterpart. The others just looked faintly amused. 'Then that task will have to come last. I think first I better introduce my team. After that we can find a way to track down Megatron.

'First is my chief scout and master spy, Bumblebee' Optimus nodded to the diminutive yellow Autobot. 'There's nowhere on land or sea he can't go and he's the bravest warrior I have ever known. Do not underestimate him.' Optimus added the last bit to drive the point home.

Bumblebee beamed at the praise. 'I just do my job Prime.'

'My mechanic Ratchet can patch up just about any damage, to his right is my dimension's Ironhide. My security officer.' The two of them nodded in turn. 'Hound's main speciality is recon but he's also an expert with holograms.'

'Finally Jazz is my second in command and an expert warrior.'

The native Ironhide nodded at each of them, noticeably not apologising about his earlier crack at Bumblebee's size. 'Ironhide, Autobot weapons expert.' He spun the two cannons. 'This is Captain Lennox.'

'Nice to meet you guys.' the human said to everyone.

The two of them were going to have to be involved somehow. Optimus already had an idea on how Lennox's size and probable abilities could be useful. The shear mass of this Ironhide's twin cannons was impressive, only problem was Optimus had some reservations over his armour. Yes it looked good but a well placed, or indeed lucky shot, could hit any number of exposed systems. The revelation that these Autobots had unshielded Sparks was also a problem, one he was going to have to address tactically.

It also offered a opportunity. One he hoped Megatron would have overlooked.

* * *

General Marks III looked at his subordiantes as they gave him their latest report. 'So he escaped. Someone out there set up an extraction and he escaped.'

'Yes sir.' the colonel nodded on the video phone. Simmons was behind him wincing

'And what do you have to say about those radiation detectors?' Marks growled

'They only pinpoint at short range. Wherever he is he's outside of it.'

'Gentlemen, I no doubt don't have to remind you people that this planet is now at war. What your telling me is that these robots now have unknown support and are completely untraceable.' Marks stood up from his chair. 'I don't want anymore excuses I want results. Track them down and destroy them, their burnt and shattered bodies should be on CNN's desk in time for the six o'clock news. You both get me?'

'Yes sir.' the two men nodded and signed off

Marks did the same and Arcee unlinked from the console.

Keller looked at her. 'You just intercepted that?' A moment go the female Autobot had picked up the transmission and shown it on the oversized screen the Autobots had been installing.

'I told you, communications and recon are my specialities. Women are naturally better at multitasking. You should know that, I picked it up from your internet.'

Keller laughed, 'What made you pick up that? There's got to be millions of conversations out there...'

'There are, but as he came up after you on that news report I programmed a filter on my receiver. That and I got lucky.' Arcee admitted. 'Now we know Ironhide is still alive.'

'Same for Captain Lennox... but I left his contact number at the office.' Keller remembered and shook his head.

'So there's nothing we can do?' Arcee asked

'No but if Ironhide is still around we can keep the lights on here. You send him a message, tell him we're here and I'll do what I can to keep Marks's grunts from coming back here.'

Arcee nodded. 'Now that's a plan.'

End Chapter 4


	6. Chapter 5

Keep Driving  
Chapter 5

Will Lennox stepped out of the yellow beetle, a fraction later it transformed into the smaller Bumblebee. 'How did we find them again?' he asked, voice only just above a whisper.

'Shh.' the Autobot held a finger to his very human mouth and tapped a hidden button on his forearm. A hatch flicked open and a little screen came out and spun around. "The others don't have spark shielding. Old Meg's blocked just about everything else so we used that. Prime's sensors and Hound's tracking followed the radiation trail they left."

Will nodded, even if he still didn't fully understand just how they were able to track radiation. He waved two thumbs in the air and mimed that he was ready. The Autobot nodded and his little screen folded back into the arm, still facing out. He gave Will a couple of hand movements that he gathered meant follow and Bumblebee crept down the cliff side.

They had somehow followed the radiation trail to this dry river bed, Will guessed that before the dam was built this was full of water. The Decepticons and their prisoners were supposed to be around a bend, just ahead.

Will was black-ops trained, specialised in silent infiltration. Sure it wasn't the most glamourous job in the world but he was good at it. So was Bumblebee. The others, his world's Autobots, were anything but stealthy. He's seen Sam's report about them destroying his families backyard and that wasn't all. Ironhide's stomping around in the woods, shattering trees, earlier was enough to prove it. Bumblebee was different. Sliding to a stop he went on one knee and tested the rock face. Almost instinctively he'd been able to tell the rocks couldn't hold his weight.

Sure he probably had sensors and all kinds of gismos built in but you needed instinct to know when to use them. Carefully Bumblebee hugged a narrow edge and shimmied down, Will following. The two of them made good time, Keeping one eye in the sky and another across the chasm they were climbing down, just incase there were patrols.

At the bottom they weren't any less careful. Will even tried to breath quietly. If Bumblebee was worried about whispering half a mile back god only knew how sensitive the Decepticon hearing was. Creeping from cover to cover the pair of them made it to the turn and looked around

As luck would have it just about everyone had their backs to them, including the Autobot prisoners. Even from this angle they'd looked better. Bumblebee and Ratchet were bound on their knees with their arms behind their backs. Some sort of glowing handcuffs keeping them like that. Prime was basically crucified between them, hanging by his arms from two odd coloured metal poles on either side of him. Both legs at odd angles. Even if they could be freed getting the hell out of there would be up to just how well the second stage of the plan worked out.

The Autobot spy waved a finger sharply and then tapped the screen in his arm. More text streamed across it:- "Energon Bonds, keeping them from moving or transforming." It read. "Deactivating them is easy with these.' He held up his other arm. Another hatch opened on it and two devices about the size of an old audio tape popped out "Take them and attach one to the Autobot, near to the bonds. The other one is for the big guy's right." Will took the little things and another two flipped up. "I've got the left"

The screen then showed a quick diagram, showing him to pull a small aerial from the side, attach it close to the bonds and then press the button in the middle of the device. The picture then had the device flash with a red circle in it. They were one use only, well that explained why he'd been given two. Will would also bet they were short range so he'd better get them close to the handcuffs.

The two of them split and headed to their respective Autobots.

* * *

Bumblebee ran a diagnostic again. Internally he was fine, it was just these Spark of a Glitch manacles the other dimensions Megatron had put on him. The unstable Deception was toying with them. Reprogramming the Starscream from their own universe into a done right in front of their eyes. Bumblebee knew full well he was probably going to be next.

Prime had to think of something soon, he just had to. Ratchet and he had already struggled and gotten nowhere. But what could he do, Prime was the worse off of all three of them. Broken and shattered by Megatron and then humiliated. He might as well face it, he was so much slag.

It was then, as he was losing all hope, his pressure sensors registered a sharp reduction across his shoulders. His arms were free! B ringing them around he looked over at Ratchet. He was free too, a small yellow transformer at his side. looking down he saw something new on his arm. About the size of his thumb, burnt out whatever it was. For a moment he thought it was the thing that generated the manacles but when he saw Captain Will Lennox handing him another one he knew it wasn't.

Ratchet was on his feet, grabbing Prime's arm. A moment later the chains holding him up on that side spluttered and vanished. Bumblebee jumped up, slapping the thing on Prime's other side. Those chains spluttered and vanished.

Between the two of them Bumblebee and Ratchet held their leader up. Putting a finger to his lips Captain Lennox waved them over and pointed back the way he had to have come. Ratchet nodded and started to move, Bumblebee was more interested in the Autobot who had helped them, but he was nowhere to be seen.

Then a cruel voice broke the silence 'You think you can evade MY sensors?' Everyone turned, Bumblebee feared it was them he was talking to. Without looking Megatron swung his cannon to one side and fired.

It was a perfect head shot, whoever it hit should have been dead instantly. whether it was blind luck or chance Bumblebee couldn't tell, the awesome blast of energy was too high to hit the nimble little 'bot.

'Wow, that was close!' he said touching one of his short horns. 'What's the problem Meg's, getting old?' It wasn't so much this transformer was laughing, he was laughing at Megatron. Standing there fearlessly as everyone's attention turned to him. Deception and Autobot alike, if only to see how Megatron would slag him

But the imminent slagging didn't happen, in fact it looked like Megatron was in shock. Eventually the Decepticon leader said something. He said it in a voice twisted in shock and anger, a sort of anger Bumblebee had never seen in any creature. 'You!?'

'You got that right bullet-head. I'd asked if you missed me but that much is is clear.' Then the little guy reacted, in the blink of an optic he had drawn his gun and opened up on Megatron. The small laser doing nothing but irritate the Decepticon.

'DIE AUTOBOT!' Megaton screamed bringing up his massive cannon, it was easily the size of his target, but before he fired the yellow transformer switched tactic.

His little pistol wasn't much good against Megaton's armoured hide but the zombie Starscream was another matter. Two shots to the body and the supports holding it up shattered, falling across Megatron like a dead weight. The Decepticon leader was knocked of his feet by the unexpected trick, causing him to fire into the ground next to the crazy Autobot who was sent flying.

Only problem now was the Decepticon was screaming in rage, clawing at the ground like a madman. 'Starscream! Slag that glitch!' he bellowed to his lieutenant.

The red and blue jet shook the stunned look from his face and transformed, aiming right for the Autobot.

'Yikes,' he shouted rolling to his feet and dodging a strafing run at the same time. 'Looks like I overstayed my welcome. Bye!' With that he transformed into a tiny yellow car and sped away in the opposite direction to them. Bouncing from out cropping to rock face as Starscream desperately tried to shoot him.

Megatron still hadn't finished, throwing the body off himself the Deception shouted in a voice distorted with pure rage 'Stop him! Don't let him inform Prime!'

If the shocks had stopped there Bumblebee and Ratchet might have ran for it, only they didn't. A bright orange energy burst came from above and hit Megatron in the back. He was thrown to the ground again, whoever had fired that must have had one hell of a gun. Bumblebee looked up and saw a red and blue titan, flanked by three Autobots, one of which was Ironhide. 'Too late Megatron.' The titan shouted.

The voice was familiar, it should have been. It was Prime's voice, Bumblebee didn't know how or why but it was.

One of the Decepticons shouted 'Autobots!' and began firing up at them, quickly followed by the others. Including Megatron who was firing like a mech possessed.

'Autobots scatter, but keep them pinned.' The Prime on the cliff top called, leaning to one side and letting a blast pass harmlessly.

'Come on, what are you guys waiting for?' Captain Lennox shouted over the shear amount of ordinance being used. Spinning Bumblebee didn't ask the dozen or so questions racing through his processor and did as he was told. This was no place for any of them.

'I'll stop them...' someone shouted behind them only to shout out as something that sounded like Ironhide's energon missile detonated. No one looked back.

'Here!' The captain called as he stopped at a jutting part of the rock face. 'I hope this works.' he muttered and put his hand through it.

'Hologram, an advanced one.' Ratchet exclaimed and they half dragged, half carried Prime inside it. There were another two transformers inside. One a green military jeep in robot mode and the other a blocky white robot with red crosses on his shoulders.

'I'm Ratchet, chief mechanic. I'm here to help.' The white one introduced himself and went straight for Prime.

'The other dimension, you followed Megatron here.' Their leader grunted weakly.

'You have a knack for pointing out the obvious, now save your energon. Now which one of you is the medic?' Their attitude was a lot like the Ratchet Bumblebee knew. He was already inspecting the damage to Prime's legs.

'That's me.' the familiar Ratchet said 'That Megatron out there caused a lot of physical damage but there's something else wrong I can't diagnose.'

'He's been shot in the back, by that other Starscream.' Bumblebee supplied.

The red and white Ratchet moved around to the back. 'Priceless, a classic Starscream null ray manoeuvre. Shoot a guy in the back.' He examined it a bit more. 'It's bad, the ray penetrated what looks like a Energon distributor. Corrupted the whole system. Put him face down.'

The two of them did so gently. 'You've got more experience with this weapon,' Ratchet looked his counterpart in the optic. 'But we need to get out of here. When we do I'm going to find that slagger and rip him a new waste extraction port.'

'It's a miracle he's not in status lock or worse, dead. Your Prime's whole Energon network is corrupted. It's only a matter of time before it effects his Spark containment.'

'What do we do?' Bumblebee grabbed his blocky arm.

The other dimensions Ratchet raised a red hand. 'Energon transfusion. Problem is I don't know if my Energon is compatible.'

'Take as much as you need.' Bumblebee let go of his arm and sat down. 'Make it quick.'

The two Ratchet's quickly rigged a transfer and instantly cogs and gears inside Prime's back began to spin and mesh back together. 'I can feel it, systems are reactivating.' He tied to prise himself from the ground only to cry out in pain.

'Stay down.' The mechanic growled, 'We need to take this component out or that Energon will corrupt too.' He unplugged Bumblebee and flicked his wrist. The index fingertip split open and a small laser was reviled. With four deft cuts he removed the damaged part and threw it away.

'Good work.' The green Ratchet said admirably.

'His backup should kick in now. When we get a minute I'm going to have to show you a few things. Energon filters, Spark shielding and I don't know, armour.

'I hate to brake this up but shouldn't we be getting out of here. Prime can't keep Megaton busy forever.' the up until now silent Autobot suggested pointedly.

* * *

In fact Optimus Prime was just thinking that himself. The numbers might be even but the Decepticons still out gunned the four Autobots, only their position of higher ground helped. Then that changed, Jazz took a shell from Blitzwing's tank mode and was thrown back. The Decepticons had the advantage, lucky Optimus had one last trick up his sleeve, as the humans said, landslide.

Tapping his radio he called for a retreat, grabbing Jazz his group peeled back from the cliff side and then fired at their former positions. The whole edge detonated, sending hundreds of tons of rock burying Megatron. Not enough to stop him but Prime was betting whatever Energon he and his warriors had was just used up. By the time they had dug themselves out they would need to find an energon supply.

Hopefully that would delay Megatron long enough for Wheeljack to rig the Space Bridge back home and pull them all back there. In this case a draw was a victory for his side. Besides it was far more important to get their counterparts out of there than win some meaningless skirmish.

His group pulled back to the road side where he had left his trailer. He checked the recordings it had made of this dimensions military communications, most were coded but they were simple to brake. Apparently everyone one was more concerned with protecting their own little spheres of influence than working together for the greater good. While under normal circumstances Optimus would be disappointed in the humans right now that was working in their favour so he wasn't going to complain.

A few moments later the second team appeared, quite literally as Hound lowered his hologram right in front of them. 'How is he.' He asked, his counterpart was being carried by the two Ratchets and a yellow 'bot Optimus guessed was their Bumblebee

'You've been worse, but not without loosing several rounds with a Cybertronic trash compacter.' His Ratchet replied, earning a painful sounding chuckle from the crippled Optimus.

'Thank you.' He said, Optimus would admit hearing his own voice coming from someone else was strange. It was also interesting how their voices were identical but the Ironhide's weren't. 'But what happened to that Autobot who provided the distraction. We have to save him.'

'That's not a problem.' Optimus pointed at the road and a single familiar vehicle pulled to a stop and transformed.

Bumblebee brushed some carbon scoring off his arm and laughed. 'The day I can't drive circles around that Decepti-creap is the day I retire.'

'What happened to him?' the human asked

'He was so busy trying to hit me he didn't look where he was going. Head first into the trees. He's probably still looking for me in there'

'Yeah but you must have a connection lose in that head of yours.' The black and yellow Autobot native to this dimension joked. 'I mean goading him, what were you thinking?'

'Hey, I float like a butterfly and sting like a Bumblebee.'

'You're their Bumblebee, that's me!' By now the two Ratchets had loaded the other Optimus onto the trailer.

They were just sliding him in when Optimus detected and decoded an high frequency message. 'This is Arcee to all Autobots on planet Earth. Code one invalid. Evacuate planet, environment hostile.' It was a female Autobot broadcasting outside of Earth's technology.

The reaction from the three formerly captured Autobots was one of confusion. Their Ironhide visibly winced and explained. 'After Megatrons attack the world knew about us and they panicked. We're all classed as alien invaders and their trying to destroy us.'

Optimus tuned out their questions and activated his full radio system. Matching frequency and code. 'This is Optimus Prime, all active units report to Auto-base. Rescue complete.'

* * *

...Rescue complete.' the communications console crackled and Arcee looked to Keller. She had spent hours putting this com-package together with the junk that hadn't been smashed.

It had taken a lot of effort but it was worth it. She had to get the message out that there was nothing left on the planet. Prime's instant response was unexpected to say the least.

'Is that really you?' she asked

'In a manor of speaking, it would be best to discuss this in person. We are on our way there, Optimus Prime out.' the radio crackled

' " in a manor of speaking", what did he mean by that?'

'You're asking me?' Keller turned to her. How sure are you that was a secure message?'

'Absolutely, Autobot emergency frequency with high encoding Even if they could detect it your people couldn't crack it.'

Keller nodded. 'Good news, now I can talk with Prime about abandoning us.'

'Abandoning you, your people turned on us remember.'

Keller shook his head. 'Not my people, one person who's got the President's ear...'

'General Marks, thing I don't get is your leader listened to him. just how stupid is he?'

Keller began to laugh but stopped himself, 'You really don't want to know.'

End Chapter 5


	7. Chapter 6

Keep Driving  
Chapter 6

Optimus pulled up the deserted road. With most of the worlds defences dedicated to protecting themselves and the only proactive forces swooping on the empty battleground where he had just fought his dimensions Megatron everything looked clear. Just in front of him was a hidden side entrance to the hover dam, according to his passenger. The secret, once human ran, facility was now the half finished Autobase. As his warriors transformed Optimus divided his attention to check on his counter part.

The slightly smaller Prime wasn't doing well, it was going to take some time to repair the damage done by Megatron. Transforming his cab section into his own robot mode the Autobot commander looked around. The three other native Autobots were waiting patiently to help their own leader inside. 'I have him.' Optimus offered as he sent he mental command for the trailer to open. Easily lifting the weight he threw the other Prime's arm over one shoulder and looked up.

A small purple Autobot, obviously female, stood next to a human. Both looking at him in awe. 'Arcee, Defence Secretary Keller. It's good to see you both.' The damaged Optimus Prime greeted them. 'No one's watching I hope, but it would be best if we all got inside.'

'Agreed.' He said before turning to the two mechanics. 'Ratchet-s I suggest the pair of you find somewhere to work on our wounded. It won't be long before Megatron finds us and when he does...'

'He isn't going to be delivering pizza.' Jazz finished glibly as the mismatched Autobots headed inside.

'With luck Prime will have a plan by then.' The human suggested stepping to one side. 'And no Americans will be hurt in the crossfire.'

Optimus hefted the damaged Autobot up and into the base. 'Don't worry about your people Defence Secretary. Unless they get in Megatron's way he'll be far to focused on our presence to worry about them.'

'That's good, but just who are you exactly?' He asked point blank

'I am Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots and holder of the Matrix of Leadership. The Megatron that attacked you came here from an alternate dimension through a malfunctioning space bridge. My team and I followed, Not knowing what we might find or if there was anything that could stand against Megatron here.

The broken Autobot chuckled. 'Right now I don't think I could stand. Against Megatron or otherwise.'

'Okay. I'm looking at giant robots talking about alternate dimensions. Why do I get the feeling I'm living in a science fiction film.' Optimus shook his head and entered the under ground facility.

* * *

On the hillside over looking the entrance Agent Simmons smiled. 'Thought you were smarter than old Simmons didn't you? High and mighty alien robot though he was better than Sector Seven's top agent.' He lowered his binoculars and put on his sunglasses. 'You might have duped the sec-def but momma Simmons little boy is better than that.'

Still rather pleased with himself Simmons punched speed dial on his Sector Seven issue mobile phone. 'Simmons for General Marks. Direct line.'

'One moment sir.' The agent manning the switchboard replied. The phone rang again or a moment before...

'Yes, what?' the short tempered general answered.

'Agent Simmons here sir. Outside Hover Dam.'

'So I was right,There are more of those robots and they're there.'

'Not quite sir. There's more of them all right, a lot more. They've come back with the first lot that were damaged.'

There was a pause where the General started shouting at officers around him 'How many more arrived?'

'About half a dozen sir, most of the original lot seemed to be injured.'

'So the group that attacked Mission City are there with them.'

'That's negative sir. Looks like a completely new group.'

Some more shouting at officers. 'We are on our way. Any information on the location of Keller.'

'You'll never believe it General...'

'He's with them. At last I can pin that slippery son of a bitch down and carve him into chunks.'

* * *

Will listened to the story again, still he had to admit it would be cool if it wasn't happening to him. 'Dimensions and massive Decepticons levelling cities we got that. Now call me picky but I'm more interested in why our own military are trying to kill us.' he announced. The Autobots had laid Prime down on the pedestal Megatron had been on and the two Ratchets had gotten to work on him.

The Secretary of Defence visibly winced and explained to everyone; 'It's not my doing. General Richard Marks has convinced the President that the Autobots and Decepticons are both threats to our world.'

'Massacre Marks? I forgot that jackass had been promoted.' Will growled. This wasn't the first time he had been on the wrong end of a Marks based FUBAR. Last time Will's team had been dropped behind enemy lines to take out a low priority target. Low priority for them was highly defended and in the middle of a civilian centre. Needless to say the fallout lead to civilian casualties as everyone from crack troops to old ladies throwing rotten vegetables got on their case.

Sure they got out of it and the target was taken out. A communications hub for all the good it did but it was not fun. The dead bystanders were a black mark on Will's record and the occasional nightmare. One day he'd like to pay the asshole back for putting him there.

'Massacre Marks. I like that.' Keller nodded. 'The guys been a thorn in my side for a while now. His position wasn't that good recently so I think he's using this situation. He saves the day...'

'It's medals and drinks all around. The bastard doesn't even care.' Will finished. He was thinking of his daughter, his wife. They were going to have to go on without him in a world where nothing was certain. He couldn't protect them from what was out there.

The Ironhides looked to him. Will's friend snarled; 'I wonder, this human the sort of person that lets others do the dirty work for him?'

'You can bet on that much.'

The red one punched his hands together. 'Leaking lubricants Prime. Why are we bothering fighting Decepticons when the humans have people like that?'

'Because that's their problem, old friend. Not ours.' the other dimensions Prime said sagely. 'Still it might be a good idea for you to deal with him at an opportune moment.'

'I'll say one thing for Megatron.' The red Ironhide grumbled. 'He might be an ugly, evil, slagging monster but he ain't a cowered, like this Marks human. How'd he ever get n that position in the first place?'

Will had an answer 'If you know what your doing you can rise through the ranks easily. Back doors and a word or two in the right places you can coast along on the coat tails of those better than you, until you can trade on your subordinates skills.'

'That's not how it should be, your system is flawed.' The green Ratchet looked up from his work and stepped back. 'It's no good.'

'What?' Bumblebee asked in his own voice instead of relying on audio clips.

'The damage is too great to Prime's legs. Their going to have to be rebuilt from scratch and we don't have the time. How's his torso?' He asked the white one.

'Worse. There's so many shattered components in here is difficult to tell what belongs where. Megs gutted him.'

'Power... it's not getting through to my spark core.' Prime announced. 'Not enough at least.'

'That's probably what saved him from the null ray effects.' The other dimensions Ratchet supplied. 'But from the looks of things unless we get him on a cybernetic support unit he's going to join the Matrix. And soon.'

The green Ratchet jumped up and hovered indecisively, like he didn't know where to start 'A what?' the small purple Autobot Will had just met asked.

'A cybernetic life support system.' he repeated as if it was the simplest thing ever before turning on the green Ratchet. 'Where do you keep them?'

'We... I... I don't.' he shook his head. 'Prime there's nothing we can do. It must have been the corrupted energon or the damage. If I has enough time.

'What the Pit do you mean "you don't". This isn't something we can wait for.'

'I don't even know what a cybernetic support system is. Instead of blathering on help me.'

The white Ratchet did more than that. He grabbed the one from Will's dimension and hauled him over Prime. 'Help you? I could strangle you? What moron packs his ship without the most basic emergency kit. It's simple, an external power supply to run critical systems off.'

'That... that could work. But it would take too long to rig up. Do you have one on you.'

'Oh sure I carry a large and unwieldy generator just incase some idiot doesn't.'

Will looked at the two arguing Ratchets. 'Why don't you just hook him up to he mains? Won't that work?'

'If he had a internal energon converter... possible.'

'But it's gone. Along with whatever other support systems he had left.'

The other Optimus Prime looked at them all for a moment. 'Spark transfer. I house his spark in my form while you repair his body.'

'Has your sanity chip fried? We don't know what that might do to you.' The white Ratchet almost bellowed.

'It's impossible anyway, too many connections and The Spark's too weak.'

'Damn it. There must be something you can do.' Will's friend punched the wall, shattering concrete. 'Come on, with two of you working on it it should be easy.'

'Time Ironhide. We don't have enough of it' The green Ratchet hung his head. 'The wounds are fatal.'

The white one however was still looking around. 'Alright, as the humans say "its all or peanuts". Have anything, any unconventional ideas or equipment, you haven't tried yet?'

'No nothing. There could have been one way, but that's gone.'

'What's gone? The standing Optimus Prime asked.

The... Allspark.' The wounded Prime said in a hollow voice. 'It was destroyed, battling our Megatron... Exposure to it could repair even this damage.'

'How can the Allspark be gone, it doesn't exist on this plane of reality?' the small Bumblebee asked.

'Megatron sought to possess it, and rule the universe with its energies. To defeat him one of our human friends plunged it into Megatrons Spark. Destroying it and him forever.'

'Not possible, the Allspark cannot be destroyed. Not in the conventional sense and certainly not by exposure to a single Spark. Even one as twisted as a Megatron.' The other Optimus Prime said with authority. 'Perhaps what you call the Allspark was just a conduit, like Vector Sigma, to the true Allspark.'

'Vector... Sigma?'

'A supercomputer, deep under the surface of Cybertron. It is said that it designed and built the first transformers.'

'Yes, it gives life to machines like us. The cube chamber was buried in a cavern when it was first found. So the stories say.'

'Then perhaps it can be reactivated, By exposure to another such conduit.'

'Sure but where are we going to get one.'

The other Optimus seemed to smile, without a mouth it was carried just by his eyes but it was a smile. 'I think I have an idea'

* * *

General Richard Marks III looked over the convoy he had assembled outside Mission City 'So Mr Banachek, this is what your division came up with.' He looked at the flat bed truck and its cargo.

'Yes General, after the Beagle 2 went down we knew the NBE-One's friends were coming. Based on an analysis of it's structure and known weaknesses to electromagnetic and thermal pressures we developed this. Only it was in our R and D facility in Newark when the attack came. Still under development.'

'Good, good, and Keller knew nothing about it?' Marks inspected the launch controls

'No sir, Hover Dam was our main facility and storage but we still have other assets nation-wide that even the President doesn't know about.'

'But not the funding, not anymore.' Marks smiled. The most advanced, powerful and resourceful organisation in America and it was going to be under his command. 'If this... weapon works I'll want you busy building more of them.' he looked up and under the coverings. 'A lot more.'

'General. I must warn you that even if it's not effective against the NBE's a man would be incinerated by the blast wave. We won't be able to use it in a populated area.'

'I don't care about civilian gawkers. This is war, people die in wars. If these robots want to hide in cities, towns or villages I'll smoke them out.'

'Yes sir.' The agent agreed, he sounded uncomfortable with the idea. He was soft, a lot of people were. there was something like six billion people in the world, no one would notice a few dozen less.

Marks headed to his humvee and pulled out the radio. 'All units move out. Our objective is Hover Dam and the robots hiding in it. Lets show these aliens what happens when you mess with the US military.' Jumping onboard Marks grinned as his assault force started their engines and drove on.

* * *

Defence Secretary Keller looked to the Optimus Prime he knew. The injured leader nodded and Keller handed the scrap of metal to the other one.

It was strange to see the huge robot inspect the burnt scrap-let. Turning it over and between massive blue fingers. 'Yes there is still something here. It is small but I sense like a seed will grow. In time it may regenerate completely.'

'That's good news, but we don't have time.' The Ironhide he was familiar with grumbled. 'Prime's dying as we speak.'

The huge Prime shook his head and gave the damaged Allspark to his counterpart. 'We don't need it. Like I said Vector Sigma is a conduit, but it's not the only one. We have one other, the Autobot Matrix of Leadership.'

'You said that before.' Keller reminded him. 'What is it?'

The Autobots he knew shook their head's, they hadn't heard of it either. So the other Prime explained. 'It is a repository of knowledge and wisdom. Passed down through the Autobot leaders for almost a thousand million years. It holds an after image of every Autobot that ever carried it within them.'

'Within them?' Ratchet asked. 'You carry an Allspark inside you?'

'Not an Allspark. But I suspect close.' With that he opened his chest. Keller half expected this great mystical thing to just appear in the tall Autobot's hands. Instead he had to pull it out from layers of armour. The two glass panels that made up his chest split down the divide in the middle and a single metal plate rose from a hinge upwards. There it was, a blue crystal in a elaborate case with two handles on either side. Some sort of blue light was caught deep in the crystal, sparkling with a life of its' own Multifaceted, every crack and imperfection seemed to reflect a different shade of fantastic blue.

'What is...' Keller asked but it wasn't finished. The Matrix seemed to disconnect on its own and smoothly glided forward hovering in mid air in front of the Prime. His chest snapped shut quickly and he reached out, taking the Matrix by two handles ether side of its case.

For an instant it sparkled brightly before sending a handful of lighting bolts at the Allspark shard. Each bolt lancing around like the tentacles of a squid and stopping at some imaginary line where the cube should have been complete.

In the palm of their dimensions Optimus Prime the surviving corner of the cube began to spin slowly, first one way ant then the other. The ghostly after image of what it once was following like it was still complete. Then, like a flower opening, the sliver unfolded. Exactly like how it shrunk all those days ago the Allspark grew, unfolding new sides while spinning faster and faster until it flew out of Prime's hand and landed, corner first, in the ground.

Like heat rising from a road in summer the Cube shimmered. Now complete it looked brand new, little glowing letters in some unknown language danced on its sides for a moment before fading.

It was, ironically, the taller Bumblebee that spoke first. A short sound clip played a low whistle and he said in his own voice:- 'Wow.'

The other Prime's chest opened again and swallowed his Matrix. 'It would appear that our presence here was not a mistake.'

Lennox looked up at that. 'I'm sorry, what?'

'This is not the first time Vector Sigma has manipulated things that should be beyond it's control. The chances of that working were very slim, almost as slim as those of myself arriving here and now with exactly what was needed.'

'You're saying that your version of the Allspark, this Vector Sigma, arranged for you and megatron to arrive here?' Keller asked. 'How can it do something like that? It's just a big cube'

'Vector sigma is actually a sphere shape according to legend but that's not important. There is a lot we do not know or understand about our own origins, including just how powerful the ancient artefacts are.'

As interesting and astounding as all this was there was still the nagging feeling that it wasn't getting them anywhere. He said as much.

Lennox shook his head. 'With luck Megatron and these guys will be pulled back to their home soon. So all we have to worry about is the mess Marks has left us in.'

* * *

Outside the Hover dam a CNN news helicopter came in for a landing. It had followed the convoy of military vehicles after spotting them gathering outside what was left of Mission City. Sarah Wathers was not the sort of reporter who usually got this sort of job but as with so many things it was just blind luck that she was in the right place at the right time.

'We set?' She asked the cameraman, John pulled the camera on his shoulder and gave the thumbs up. Casting a quick glance down into the valley they saw the troops gathering around the large flatbed truck. What ever was covered beneath it must have been important.

Sarah fixed in her ear piece and held back a wince, back in the production gallery they were cursing the anchor man to just get on with it. Ted was milking the intro for all it was worth. Swallowing her nerves Sarah glanced again at the flatbed and her jaw dropped

The director was shouting at her that she was on but she was too shocked. John must have caught on because when she did look back the camera was fixed on the sight, the director was dead silent. 'We're here at the Hover dam where sources indicate the Alien robots have been hiding.' It was a good opening, and a pretty good guess given what they were seeing.

'As promised the Government is bringing every weapon in the United States arsenal to the battle with this destructive menace. Including what looks to be a massive experimental missile.' Sarah gestured at it. The huge thing was easily twenty feet long, with steam and white clouds venting from exposed pipes all leading back to an oversized pair of thrusters. Then, mounted on some hydraulic ram the missile lifted menacingly.

'This is General Richard Marks,' somewhere down there they had a sound system, the General had taken personal command and was now calling the robots out. 'You are under arrest by authority invested in me by the United States. You will come out or by God we will take you out by force. Comply.'

* * *

End chapter 6

Authors note:  
A bit corny I know but next chapter just about everything hits the fan and I have to set it up somehow.


	8. Chapter 7

Keep Driving  
Chapter 7

Authors note:-  
This chapter has taken longer to write than expected, sorry!

* * *

Optimus watched the holographic projection for a moment before turning his attention to his guests. His other self, the one from an alternate dimension, stroked his face plate. The same way a human would if he had facial hair. There were so many little things that set them apart, even on the most basic level. They might have the same names but they thought completely differently to those from around here.

The news report Arcee had picked up and was now projecting showed a large, if crude missile. 'Impressive' Optimus said.

'Your telling me.' Keller said. 'That thing has Sector Seven written all over it.'

Lennox let out a low whistle. 'Where did they get the funding?'

'Sector Seven's been going for decades. They've probably got more than just this place on their little black books.' Keller explained.

'That doesn't look like standard earth based ordinance.' the red plated Ironhide examined it. 'There's just not a lot to work with.'

The other Optimus turned to another of his men. 'Hound, see what you can do with it.'

The Jeep based Autobot drew and pointed a gun at the projection. Optimus frowned as he watched the Autobot fire. Instead of harmlessly passing through the energy blast seemed to reinforce the image.

'What is that?' he asked as the projected image began to slowly spin and grow larger.

'Hound's speciality is holograms.' His counterpart explained 'He used to be a landscape artist.'

His reality's Ironhide frowned. 'Looks like a cryogenic missile. See the coolant fins and subzero gasses?'

'It's a crude attempt if it is.' Agreed the red one 'Why would they need one?'

The white plated Ratchet shook his head and turned to his opposite. 'This is why you should have shielding around your laser cores. Thermal damage like that can knock your systems into status lock.'

The other Ratchet looked around. 'Will you get off my back about that. We've never needed thermal shielding before and I haven't had time to think about it.'

'Well until you do none of your Autobots should leave this facility.' Optimus's opposite said. 'With our own thermal shielding we can withstand sudden temperature changes. Just not protracted subzero conditions.'

'In other words one or two of these things won't kill you but a whole mess of them won't do you any good.' Lennox asked.

'Something like that. I think I'd better deal with this personally.'

Optimus ran a fast diagnostic. 'I'd help but that missile's more than enough to knock me flat. More importantly, my reformatting hasn't finished yet, I'm still more or less crippled.'

'What about your energon loss?'

'It's stopped, I've seen the Allspark repair wounds before. It's usually a lot faster.'

'Maybe it has to repair itself before it can finish you. Either way it would be better if I go out there. Alone.'

'How?' Keller asked. 'I mean sure you can go out there but Marks won't care you came in peace. All he cares about is getting his name on the news. That and your head on a wall.'

'We can't let you go Optimus.' The small Bumblebee said impulsively. 'Even primitive weapons can hurt and if these guys can make missiles like those...'

'All the more reason I should go. No one doubts your bravery Bumblebee, or your skills, but if those weapons can harm me what about Jazz, yourself and even Ironhide? I can't take that risk old friend. Anymore than my self could be seen as a threat' The taller Optimus said. He had to hand it to him, he was right. Still there had to be something he could do to help.

'Keller, does Marks still have the support of your President?' He said, an idea forming.

'For all the good it will do him. The President doesn't like the idea of you people running around, out of our control. That's why he's supporting Marks and I can't do anything about that.'

'Then I suggest a formal treaty between the Autobots and the United States government. The reason we didn't up until now was we didn't know what would happen if the world at large found out about us.'

'Are you mad?' the politician asked, half joking. 'Any sort of treaty between us that gets made public will be pounced on by every country out there. We'll never get to the bottom of it.' Optimus smiled and Keller trailed off. That was the point, using bureaucracy against itself. 'That's what you want, do you know how much work that will be for all of us?'

The other Optimus chuckled. 'Then let us all get to work.' With that the taller Autobot left the base

* * *

Sarah Wathers had made the decision to climb down the hill side. As soon as she and her cameraman had got down there three Marines had pulled them up in front of the general with the megaphone. After his little speech she had a feeling he wasn't going to shy from the limelight.

She was right, as soon as they had been dragged up to the front line the man was smiling at them, like old friends. She'd never met him before, but seen him interviewed. General Richard Marks III, when a guy of his rank insisted on the third part you knew he was bad news.

Still she was a professional, as much as she didn't like the suggestive look he was giving her she'd do her job. Keeping an eye on the flashing red light on top of the camera she started the interview. 'General, you said in the press conference that you had advanced weapons to deploy. I take it this is one of them, can you tell us anything about it?'

He smiled for the people at home. 'I can't say much. Only that this missile is the most powerful and advanced weapon in development by the United States. We are confidant that these robots will not survive.' Marks beamed, pleased with himself.

Behind him something strode out of the dam confidently and stood there for all to see. It was one of the robots. 'General, with have hostile!'

Marks spun grabbing his megaphone from the marine that had shouted. 'Stand down and in the name of God and the United States of America surrender!' he shouted.

Sarah had seen the footage of these robots but seeing one in person was astounding. It was easily more than twenty feet tall, red and blue with white highlights and silver parts mixed in. The giant robot held blue hands out by his sides, in an almost human show that it had no weapons. 'Greetings, we come in peace for the freedom of all sentient life.' It called out. 'We Autobots only wish friendship. Our enemies, the Decepticons, have come to conquer and enslave. All we ask is that you let us help you defend yourselves from Megatron and his kind.'

'Have all your kind stand down and surrender to us, robot.' Marks called back through the megaphone. Taking no notice, Sarah took note of that and the fact that these things could speak English. It would make interviewing them so much easier.

'Not with a cryogenic missile pointed at us.' The robot reasoned, its voice taking on a dangerous tone. 'Many of my people are wounded, I will not risk their safety.'

The giant took a step forward 'This is not the first time we have tried to talk. You just seem to be unwilling to listen.'

'What are you talking about?' Marks called back, he sounded worried.

The robot took a step forward. 'When the Decepticons first attacked Mission City it was we Autobots that came to protect your people. Now you attack those who would be your allies.'

Marks stood there for a moment. Sarah was stunned, if this was true these robots were their friends. That was impossible wasn't it? The thing that convinced her was Marks's poker face. He wasn't very good at it. Still the robot pressed on. 'Still one of you was willing to hear us out. Your defence secretary; John Keller. He is meeting with our leader here, now. Soon, if your President is at all a reasonable man, we will join forces against the Decepticons.'

Chance had it Sarah was looking for a reaction from the General. She got one. 'Fire.' The man whispered before shouting as loud as he could 'FIRE! Somebody fire!'

Someone obeyed, the missile lurched from the trailer. Slowly building up momentum as it launched. Faster and faster, a white cloud of smoke pouring from vents and mixing with the black / grey from the rocket engine. The roar was like when Sarah's father took her and her brother to see a shuttle launch, only not as loud. As the rocket built up speed it's nose lowered and lanced out at the giant robot.

It's the sort of image that lasts, like the twin towers just before the second plane hit. Or the first A-Bomb. A moment of history dramatically captured forever. The death of an alien robot from another world.

Then the impossible happened. The titan folded up around the rocket, like it was an ancient spear piercing the armour of a gladiator. A great gout of flame still roaring out of the spears back-end but nothing more. Then the robot took a giant step back and straightened up smoothly. Nose cone securely held in both hands.

'That's... he caught...' General Marks stammered. 'He caught the Bot Buster Missile!' he finally gasped

Still Sarah was a professional and had a job. 'Ladies and gentlemen. The missile failed, the robot is undamaged.' She reported into the microphone, voice shaking.

* * *

Will watched the hologram Hound was projecting from the broadcast. High definition was one thing, this was something else. Will felt like he could reach out and touch the image. When he saw the other dimension's Prime catch the missile his jaw dropped. Sure it wasn't the fastest thing Will had seen, it probably hadn't had a chance to build up it's speed, but seeing the Autobot catch it was astounding.

As the world looked on in awe the Prime outside turned the missile around in his hands. Slowly moving one to the back of the missile he crushed the rocket engine like it was a beer can. 'Hardly impressive.' Prime growled at the camera and collected army.

'Gotta disagree there.' Muttered Will's Autobot friend. 'How'd he do that?'

The small Bumblebee said, as if it was the simplest thing in the world, 'He's Prime.'

'You don't just catch a missile like that.' Ironhide insisted stubbornly.

On the broadcast the other Autobot leader was now holding the missile in one hand and said. 'Please listen to me. Megatron is a monster, he crushed Mission City just to prove a point. Your weapons and technology is no match for him, you need as much help as you can get. We are here in the name of peace and freedom.' Will could tell he was getting angry, who wouldn't. 'Are you so blinded by arrogance General that you can't see that? I implore you. Let us help.'

A deathly silence came over the, but "Massacre Marks" wasn't done yet. The son of a bitch must have wrestled a Sabot launcher from a soldier because the camera quickly panned to show him heft the weapon and fire.

Another quick pan back to Prime and the giant flinched. A glowing armour piercing round hit the missile still in his hands, detonating it.

'No!' All of those watching shouted at once.

* * *

'And that's how we do it in the United States. Hoo-rah.' General Richard Marks the Third crowed at the white cloud of fog. His men quickly cheered as the fog cleared and it showed the bid red robot coated in ice. Not completely but according to Banachek it didn't need to be totally covered, just enough to shut down it's systems.

The reporter turned to him; 'General, its obvious we now have the technology to defeat these robots. Where did it come from.'

Putting on his best smile for the public Richard lowered the empty Sabot launcher. trying not to wince at the bruise it had given his shoulder. 'This is a standard Sabot launcher, but I'm afraid the missile and it's development is top secret.' He bent down to pick up the megaphone he had dropped and cast a glance at the frozen robot.

It's head had moved, the thing was looking at him. 'What?' he whispered, megaphone slipping form his grip.

The twin blue eyes pulsed and then, somehow, it spoke; 'Cryogenic missile. Effective against an unshielded transformer.' Then, even though it was supposed to be impossible, the robot flexed it's arms. Shattering the ice like it was a sheet of candy glass. 'I am curious General; are you simply that arrogant or is it stupidity that blinds you? I tell you I come in peace, to help you defeat our common enemy, and you shoot me with a crude and oversized missile.'

The titan wrenched its legs free, walking closer and with each ground shaking step chunks of ice falling like rain from it's body. 'By Primus, what was the point of that? An attempt to impress me? To strike fear into the fuel pumps of my fellow Autobots?' Richard could tell the robot was angry, very angry now. He also knew he had one thing left.

Slamming another six round clip into the Sabot Launcher he aimed and fired. This close there was no way he was going to miss. Still the robot stopped but the rounds just bounced off it's armour.

Slowly it shook it's head. 'For the final time, your weapons are ineffective. Against me and the Decepticons.' it said as if talking to a child. 'Alone you are no match for them, they will tear this world apart. With our help we can defeat them together. What part of this are you having trouble with?'

Richard opened his mouth to reply when a purple beam lanced from overhead, it struck the giant robot in the chest. It was thrown back and onto it's side, skidding away. The General didn't have to look up as the thing that did it landed where the other one had been standing. Laughing all the while. 'My, my Prime. You should have been paying more attention.'

It turned and Richard looked up into the face of death. It looked just like it had on the T.V, only a thousand times more. It's long black cannon strapped to one arm, the silver body and burning red eyes. Eyes that were looking right at him. 'I have to thank you, flesh-germ. With out your help I would never have been able to find them, let alone drag Prime out into the open. I might even let you live as my pet, on the other hand slaves are far more useful.' It laughed again.

* * *

Megaton had won. At last Optimus Prime, the original Optimus, was defeated. The force of a nation had rallied against the Autobots and failed. All in all he liked this dimension. Now with the people of this world cowering before him he could start enslaving them. All too soon they would be falling over themselves to collect all the energon they could. Squeezing this planet dry would stretch any computations as every inch seemed to drip untapped energy. From its molten core to the sun in the sky.

'This world is now mine...' he chuckled. Then something tapped him on his shoulder. Megatron turned and came face to face with Prime, fist reeled back.

'You talk too much.' Prime punched at the same time as speaking. He couldn't risk a full powered hit, that would crush the humans behind Megatron like insects. Still it was enough to make the Decepticon leader stumble back, spitting oil.

The two of them looked at each other. There was no need for words, both knew the other too well. Prime wouldn't risk a shooting war and he was too close for Megatron to aim his cannon. This was hand to hand, where neither of them had a clear advantage. Prime was injured, weakened first by the missile then the shot. Megatron had hoped for more from the human's weapon but he wasn't surprised.

Still both of them had one last card to play. 'Decepticons...'

'Autobots!'

Then at the same time as each other Megatron shouted 'Annihilate!' and Prime called out 'Protect!'

The battle was joined.

End Chapter 7


	9. Chapter 8

Keep Driving  
Chapter 8

The Autobots reacted quickly, Optimus watched them and wished he could join in the battle. They were going to need all the help they could get out there, but his reformatting was still twitchy.

He'd heard how Frenzy's targeting system was so bad that he actually had shot his own head off shortly after his own reformatting. Optimus had been even worse off before The Cube repaired him, on the battlefield he would be more of a liability than a help.

At the end of the small army running for the exit the small female Autobot was going to war; 'Arcee we still need your uplink.' Optimus said, stopping her dead in her tracks.

'But... he'll, they'll... Bumblebee will need my help.' The female communications specialist insisted.

'There's already more Autobots out there than Decepticons.' Keller said, 'One more won't make the difference. Here you can help us. We contact the President, get him to agree to the alliance. We humans might not be as strong as you but we've got the numbers.'

'He's right.' Optimus agreed. 'And right now we've got to get them out of the way. I know the others, they're too much like us. They won't risk fighting all out with innocents in the way. They are fighting with one hand welded to their side...'

'Megatron won't care one way or the other.' Arcee realised, her optics flashing. 'I'll get you that radio line.'

* * *

Ironhide had barely made it out of the cave mouth before his native counter part tackled him down to the ground. The top of the cave exploded three times, showering the pair of them in shattered rock.

'Starscream.' The other Ironhide growled.

'Both of them.' He grunted back and pointed, the two Decepticons were strafing the once hidden entrance with concussion missiles and null rays. All the others were pinned in the base.

Only the two of them had made it out, if the rest tried to leave would be like shooting protoforms in stasis lock 'What we need here is a smokescreen.' The blue grey Ironhide suggested

'He's not here.' Ironhide winced and then looked down at his red hand. 'But this might do. ' Retracting his hand he opened his nitrogen tanks, the triple barrelled pump slid out. 'Some liquid nitrogen might cool him off.' Ironhide fired it into the air, right into the dull grey Starscream's path.

Ironhide had hoped that it would cloud up, giving the Autobots time to get out, but it did a little more than that. Without a mind of it's own the grey Starscream flew into the nitrogen stream head on. Covering his cockpit in ice. 'Watch where you point that thing!' The native Autobot shouted and Ironhide remembered just how dangerous his backup weapon was around here. Nether the Autobots or Decepticons had any sort of reliable thermal shielding. His nitrogen would take any one of them off line.

'Sorry about that.' He muttered as the grey Starscream crashed nose first into the rock side, giving everyone the chance to get out of the base.

There wasn't anytime for exercising their vocal processors. The red and blue Starscream Ironhide was familiar with landed and peppered the area with purple null ray blasts. The rush meant that most of the Autobots had made it out of the cave and found targets. The two Ironhides were left to take care of him. 'That back shooting, cowardly slagger's mine!' The other one shouted and fired his two oversized missile launchers.

The two glowing blue rockets went wide, but Starscream wasn't taking any chances and lived up to his reputation. Before either Ironhide could fire at him again the Seeker took off.

Wordlessly the pair spun their weapons and took off after him.

* * *

Bumblebee only got a few steps from the entrance before he had to duck a glowing purple shell. Last time one of those hit near him he had that other dimensions Megatron all over him.

That wasn't something he wanted to repeat.

With the thin layer of frost already melting off his segmented armour Bumblebee looked at the direction the shot had came from. The half familiar off cream and purple tank rumbled towards him, still firing shells and not caring what those that missed did. Bumblebee winced, these triple changers were nasty and this one had picked him for target practice. Rolling away from the oncoming tank he converted his hand into it's plasma gun mode, spun it up, and fired.

He didn't expect it to do anything and he was right. The Decepticon's armour in tank mode was too strong for him. What was worse these guys had even more armour in robot mode, it was like trying to punch though solid duranium. Worse still, unlike his world's cybertonians, their armour wasn't segmented. That meant no gaps or weak spots that he could see.

The turret turned to track him and Bumblebee dived again. 'Hold still, little slagger.' It growled at him, firing again and only just missing. It might be bigger and more powerful but Bumblebee was smaller, faster and too agile for it to hit.

It looked like there was some bonus to being underpowered. Now he just needed a way to use that advantage.

Bumblebee was still running that through his processor when out of nowhere something hit the triple-changer. It was an explosive charge. Just to the left a human tank driver challenged him. Bumblebee couldn't think of anything more stupid or brave. The Earth vehicle was no match for the Decepticon. Everyone involved knew that.

Still, instead of ignoring the shell, the triple changer turned to shoot the practically defenceless tank. The Decepticons Bumblebee knew could be cruel, these were needlessly sadistic too. He wouldn't hesitate to fire.

There wasn't a chance. Or a choice. Bumblebee found the audio file that summed up the situation. Jumping with a double footed drop-kick Bumblebee caught the end of the tanks barrel with both feet. "...Hippy ky aye!..." It was enough force to jar the shot wide, making it miss. Bumblebee hadn't finished yet though. If he was right there was one weak spot he could hit this close up. Down the tanks barrel.

As long shots go this was the most close range you could get. Pushing his plasma gun right down the turret's barrel he fired.

Thrown back Bumblebee looked at his wrist, the plasma gun was slag. So was most of the arm. Looking up the Decepticon was smoking from a dozen cracks in his armour. 'Are you okay?' It was the human tank commander, he'd half climbed out of his turret and was looking down.

Bumblebee flicked his head back, retracting his combat visor, and nodded. "..It will take a lot more than that..." he played the audio clip, holding himself up from the side of the armoured vehicle. Even if the General had scrap for brains his men knew to do the right thing.

Stumbling to his feet the Camaro a got a cold feeling in his processor as the triple changer Decepticon transformed into robot mode, snarling with rage and even more smoke. 'When I've finished with you even Swindle won't be able to sell what's left!' Out of nowhere he drew a double handed energon blade and swung it wildly.

"...Make like a tree, and get out of here..." Bumblebee called out to the humans and hoped they understood before jumping at the Decepticon.

* * *

Thrust watched as Starscream did his usual trick of running away as soon as anyone put up a fight. Still he was able to get two Autobots to follow him, which suited Thrust just fine. Even him, the mightiest Seeker ever, might have had trouble handling all these Autobots at once. Not that he would admit it.

The humans were in disarray, their most powerful weapon was about as much use as a cold day and they knew it. It was times like this Thrust lived for. Taking aim on the retreating humans he was going to enjoy blasting them into particles.

Before he could fire a grappling line hooked into his shoulder and pulled the Decepticon jet off his feet; 'Jazz!' Thrust tried to get back to his feet

'Hi Thrust, thought I'd go fishing and look what I caught.' Jazz pulled him again with the hook built into the Autobot's arm. 'Might have to throw it back though. I think I forgot my fishing licence.'

Thrust knew he was no match for the Lieutenant on the ground, but in the air was a different story. And he just happened to have a towline. Taking to the sky Thrust pulled the Autobot with him, both hands on the cable pulling with all his strength. 'You don't know who you're dealing with Auto-scum. I'm the greatest Decepticon warrior that's ever lived.'

Jazz was strong enough to keep himself down and tried to pull back. 'Believe that when I see it.' but Thrust wasn't his name for nothing. He used his vehicle mode's VTOL engines and went higher, keeping hold of the cable and hook in his shoulder.

Jazz had no chance and Thrust had an idea, spinning in the sky the Decepticon warrior knew Jazz's cable couldn't take the G-forces.

He was right, the cable snapped and Jazz was sent tumbling into the hill side.

* * *

This might not have been his dimension but that didn't matter to the smallest Autobot there. Bumblebee held his hands open by his sides and made strait for the gathering of humans. Dodging the wrestling match Old Megaton and Prime were engaged in he kept his head down.

He spared a moment to look back Prime picked up the Flatbed trailer and swung it around smashing it over Megatron's head. Staggering the gunmetal grey Decepticon as it shattered. A sharp foot Prime's radiator grill gut staggered him and quickly they were wrestling again.

'General! General Marks, get your people out of here!' He shouted to their leader desperately. Prime was injured and had to be careful, this close to them he had to pull his punches or the humans would get caught in the crossfire.

Still the humans just looked on in shock. They weren't used to this sort of thing and for all his bluster the General wasn't a man of action.

Without a leader many of the General's men did as he asked and were throwing their weapons away, running for cover.

Those in armoured vehicles either couldn't hear Bumblebee or were incredibly stupid and waiting for the General. The yellow Autobot didn't know which he just had to get them out of there. 'Please, there's nothing you can do to help. Get out of here!'

This seemed to snap the General online. 'Surrender, all of you must surrender now or, with God as my judge, you will face the full might of the United States of America.'

Somewhere deep in his processor Bumblebee felt a sudden lurch. This man was as stupid as he seemed. Then things took another turn for the bad.

Astrotrain transformed and landed in robot mode on the other side of the humans. He was going to stomp through them just. to get to him. The idiots life and those of the people around him were in Bumblebee's hands.

And the humans had nowhere to go...

* * *

Hound saw this universe's Bumblebee was in trouble. Blitzwing had him dead to rights and he was out gunned by the huge Decepticon warrior. He was using every bit of agility and skill he had to dodge the pulsating energon sword Blitzwing was swinging like a lunatic.

He might not have been an expert swordsman but he didn't have to be, the law of averages meant sooner or later he'd hit and then the black and yellow bot would be slagged.

Luckily Hound had a trick up his sleeve and fired four holograms at the fight. Where there was one brave Autobot now there was five identical Autobots. Each one ducking, diving and rolling in and out of the way.

"...You feeling lucky Punk?..." the Autobot asked as Blitzwing stopped swinging in shock.

Blitzwing was no fool and turned on the projectionist: 'Hound! You interfering...' He didn't finish the sentence, only cried out when a perfect shot from a plasma bolt detonated on the back of his head.

One of the weakest points on any transformer. The armour on the back of the head was perilously close to their logic and neural processors.

The Decepticon fell to his knees, stunned. Hound could guess it was only a matter of a handful of astro-seconds before the damaged systems were bypassed. Just enough time to launch his shoulder rocket.

The explosion hit Blitzwing in the upper left side of his chest, spinning him to one side. With that sort of damage he'd be down for the rest of the battle.

Hound deactivated the holograms and the Bumblebee he had helped gave him the thumbs up. Suddenly his attention moved and he pointed behind Hound. Turning the Autobot scout saw Thrust in his robot mode hovering in the air. Arm mounted lasers ready.

It would take his missile a few seconds longer to regenerate and all his pistol could do was cast holograms. Practically harmless against the airborne Decepticon and they both knew it. Still practically and totally are two different things.

Hound fired a hologram of blinding bright light into the face of the gloating seeker. As he threw his arms up to protect his optics a purple energon sword flew, straight and true, into the cockpit chest. Shattering it and dropping Thrust like a rusty iron works.

'Good throw!' Hound called out and the Bumblebee shrugged.

'I got lucky.' He said in his own voice.

* * *

Ratchet winced and looked over at his counterpart. He'd seen it too, on their left Megatron and Prime were trading body blows. Trying to dislodge some internal systems and overload each others self-repair circuits. The fight was so close it was hard to say who was winning.

To the right Astrotrain was menacing towards the two leaders and in between, directly in front of the two medics was the humans. Protected by a lone Autobot.

Bumblebee.

He was no match for the Decepticon and he knew it. Still Ratchet had learnt never to underestimate his friends bravery. Without a moment's hesitation the practically tiny yellow Autobot leaped over and away from the humans, firing with his pistol.

There was no chance Bumblebee could penetrate Astrotrain's thick hide with that gun. Rolling on landing he didn't seem to care and kept firing anyway.

'Bumblebee! Get out of there!' Ratchet shouted, desperately running through is medical inventory for something to help. Bumblebee ignored him and jumped again Right at Astrotrain.

The other Ratchet drew a machine-gun 'Can't get a clear shot, not that this thing will do much damage against the likes of him. What have you got?'

Bumblebee landed in front of Astrotrain, punching fruitlessly at the taller Transformer's leg. 'I'm a doctor, damn it. Not a warrior. I haven't a thing that would punch though his armour.'

Astrotrain swung down with a wild punch and missed. Bumblebee was just too fast for him but he made a mistake. Astrotrain lashed out with a foot, kicking the Autobot away.

Laughing the triple changer drew his rifle and pointed down and Bumblebee. As one the Ratchets drew their weapons and fired. Bullets and surgical lasers bounced off hardened carapace, Astrotrain didn't even notice. Just looked down the sights of his rifle at Bumblebee. 'Megatron will reward me for finally slagging you.' He growled.

'He'll have to wait.' Bumblebee smirked. Even from their distance the medics knew he had an ace in the hole. 'After all I'm having my oil changed on Monday.' Bumblebee flicked his wrist and revealed a detonator.

An explosion went off on the back of Astrotrain's knee, taking the lower half of the Decepticons leg right off. Bumblebee rolled out of the way and stood up. 'Demolition Charge. One heck of a bang when you need one.' Bumblebee bragged.

Astrotrain thrashed about for a moment before transforming into his space shuttle mode. Firing his boosters the shuttle lanced from the ground like a oversized missile. No one was ready for that, least of all Bumblebee who was throw like a pile of leaves by the backwash

Blackened and scorched the resourceful Autobot spy ended flat on his back. Where a human wearing military uniform climbed up and onto his chest.

* * *

Will had seen a lot in his life, done a lot more. Most of that had been in war-zones and Black Ops missions so classified even he wasn't supposed to know about them. What was happening around him reminded him of the darkest, most bloody, hours of his life.

Laser beams, bullets, explosions even flying swords and flying robots were everywhere. Robots were fighting with wits, brawn, raw power and anything to hand. Will almost dislocated his jaw at one point where Optimus picked up the missile truck bed and swung it around like a batter would when trying for a home-run.

Last time he was in the middle of an transformers battle they were pinned down both sides, but at least then they had something to shoot with. Using rock after flash frozen rock as cover Will made his way down to the throng of people cowering at the feet of Optimus and Megatron.

There were worse places to stand around, like the seventh level of hell or the middle of a four way pile up. Thing was you'd have to be completely insane to want to stand there gazing up at the two of them battering each other into tinfoil. You'd have to be completely bat shit crazy to want to go anywhere near that.

Will realised self reflection and doubt wasn't going to help anyone. If they weren't going to listen to reason or to the other dimensions Bumblebee those idiots would listen to him.

He was just about there and had avoided being stepped on, landed on or hit by the purple and white space shuttle that, missing a piece, spun out of control and into the hillside that was now littered with Transformers parts. Then he saw what could only be described was a war crime of friendly fire.

Massacre Marks, seeing the other Bumblebee burnt and helpless made his way up and onto the yellow chest. The Autobot wouldn't move for risk of hurting the General. Marks pulled up his Sabot launcher and pointed it at the prone Autobot

Will wasn't close enough to hear what was being said. He didn't have to, actions spoke louder than words. Marks secured the weapon and fired four sabot rounds at point blank range into Bumblebee's face.

William Lennox had been angry before, he'd been mad enough to chew bullets and spit out shrapnel while cursing up a storm. Even then he thought the phrase "seeing red" was just that. Not anymore. Bumblebee had taken on a Decepticon three times is size. He'd approached Marks in the first place to help him and even after he fired a missile at a man the small Autobot respected.

In Will's opinion there was no end to his bravery. The same for every goddamn Autobot out there. He was sure each and every one of them would lay down their lives in an instant. Even for Marks and the cowardly piece of crap stood there and shot one of them while they were down.

He didn't have any memory of closing the distance between them. He was just there. Marks had jumped down and was bragging to the camera crew. Will didn't even know he had made a fist he just marched up and swung.

One punch, against the General's flapping jaw and the officer fell. Out cold. Sorely tempted Will reeled back a foot, but held back. Turning he looked up from the pathetic man and saw the camera was on him.

'There are two groups of robots.' Will said to the reporter. This was his chance to finally set the record straight. 'The Decepticons levelled Mission City to prove we were nothing to them. That we were no match. Without help they're right. The Autobots came because they knew that too.

'Look at them.' Will gestured at the fight. 'Look at them, even now when we shoot them they're fighting for us. Not against us. We still shoot them, because this son of a bitch can't accept that.'

The reporter nodded. Will could tell she was terrified and at the same time in full agreement. She had seen what Bumblebee had done and how Marks had paid him back for it. Will had no idea how she felt about the asshole before but her opinion had to be somewhere near his own. 'So how do you tell the difference. They seem to come in all shapes and sizes.'

'They do, you can tell mostly if their going to try and kill you for the fun of it, but look at those two.' Will pointed at the struggling Optimus and Megatron. 'If a transformer has one of those red faces on them they're on our side. The purple one means they're a bad guy.' He said that just in time to see Optimus get the upper hand.

Stringing together a series of blows Optimus pounded Megaton. Uppercut, elbow even a head-butt. It was like seeing two great gladiators in their final battle, not an inch asked for or given. Optimus's volley of blows kept coming, even wounded he pushed Megatron back and back until eventually the Decepticon Leaders footing gave way and he stumbled.

Leaning over the red and blue titan picked up his discarded rifle and brought it up. Will was ready to cheer when Optimus lowered his gun, pointing at his fallen opponent. Megatron made it back up but only on to one knee before his strength failed him. He was done for. 'Ugh...' The Decepticon leader gasped. He was looking down the barrel of the Autobot's weapon and painfully holding himself up. 'No,' he begged in a cracked voice. 'Grant me mercy Optimus Prime. I beg of you.'

Optimus's aim wavered slightly, 'You, who are without mercy, now plead for it?' He asked disbelievingly. 'I thought you were made of sterner stuff.'

'Well, now you come to mention it...' Megatron fired, his arm mounted cannon blasting Optimus and sending him flying like a rag doll. 'Sucker.' He growled, easily standing and striding up to the Autobot. He'd been playing them, distracting everyone long enough to get the chance of a clean shot.

Even with another gapping hole in his chest Prime tried to stand and bring his gun back around only to have it kicked out of his hand. Megatron chuckled before raising his gun arm again.

Purple light began glowing from somewhere down inside the oversized weapon, casting shadows across Prime's shattered body. 'I would have waited an eternity for this, it's over Prime.'

Will held his breath...

End Chapter 8

Authors note

Yes I just did that. I like cliffhangers, don't you?


	10. Chapter 9

Keep Driving  
Chapter 9

Authors note:-

You'll have to forgive me, this should have been out a couple of days ago but the combination of a job interview and a few other things delayed me. Another thing is that this is a short chapter, I know that but anything else I write here would just be padding. There is an epilogue, but that picks up the story after a couple of weeks and ties the last plot threads together.

* * *

Sarah Lennox held her daughter tightly. 'It will all be alright. I promise.' she said to her daughter and brought up a spoonful of baby food. They sat on the couch in front of the TV. CNN had a live feed from where the giant robots were battling.

Little Annabelle, with the most perfect pout Sarah ever did see, pulled away. Clamping her tiny mouth shut the baby refused to eat. Sarah knew why, she wasn't hungry either. They were both worried about Will. As soon as the news had first showed that giant robot monster her husband ran for that beast of a truck.

She hadn't heard from him since then and with all that was happening out there she didn't know if Will was alive or not. It didn't look good either way, no one could survive what was happening out there and she knew her husband all too well. If he was still alive he'd be there, in the middle of it. Will couldn't help himself.

She watched as the smaller, but still quite big yellow robot came up to the camra crew 'Please,' It said, pleading with the military. 'There's nothing you can do to help. Get out of here!' Sarah wasn't stupid or a push over, she certainly wasn't going to believe what she saw on TV.

Still even a blind woman could tell there were two sides to this war and Earth was slap bang in the middle of it. For some reason the general, who her husband didn't like, couldn't see that. He really was a total ass. As he shouted up at the robot that was just trying to help there was aloud knocking at the door that set Annabelle screaming.

'Hush, hush now. There's nothing wrong, the bad things haven't come for you.' Sarah crooned. 'I've got to see who that is.' Putting the baby in her high seat Sarah went to the door.

Two army officers, in dress uniform, were there. They were the sort of people she was glad Will wasn't. Hard nosed and crew cut. They weren't soldiers, more bureaucrats in uniform. 'Mrs Lennox. can we come in.' the one on the left asked.

The one on the right didn't wait and pushed past her. The one that spoke first looked apologetic, not seeing another option she let him in. Sarah was glad they didn't give her their names, they were so bland looking that the only real difference between them was how they acted. The rude one looked down on the high chair. 'Yours?' They asked as if her daughter was an insect.

'Her name is Annabelle and yes she's my daughter. Now what do you want?'

'Your husband was William Lennox, United States Army Rangers.' the other one grunted as something cold settled in her gut.

'If you're here to tell me he's been hurt Thank you for your time, please go.' She managed to say without looking either of them in the eye.

'We can't do that.' The rude one sneered, 'He's dead. He was riding in one of those robot things when we took it out. We've been sent to find out what you traitors know.'

'His truck...' Sarah gasped. She had known there was something weird about it then it hit her. One word: "dead". 'My God no.' Sarah felt the strength in her legs leave and she grabbed hold of the back of the couch to keep standing.

The rude one didn't let up. He almost stood on her toes 'God's on our side lady, the United States. Who's side are you on?'

'Ease up Walker.' The other pushed him back. 'Ma'am, you have my condolences but we have to know. Did you know anything about these machines?'

Somehow she was able to hear them through the shock 'No. He didn't tell me.' Her eyes fell on the TV that had so captivated Annabelle. On it the small yellow robot bravely fought an enormous one, saving the news crew. Somehow he found the strength in her legs again. 'Now if you want to insult me go right ahead but my daughter has just lost a father she'll never get a chance to know. People like you disgrace everything people like him fight for. William would never betray his country.'

The rude one, Walker, took a few steps back while the other seemed to take it in his stride. 'Thank you.' he said. 'You understand we have to ask these things...' he trailed off. Sarah was far more interested in the TV. After looking so was he.

The ass of a General jumped on to the robot that had just saved his life and shot it. Sarah couldn't believe what she was seeing, it was like the guy didn't even care. Then, of all things, he started talking to the camera, like he was some sort of hero for shooting a man who saved his life. 'Son of a bitch.' The more intelligent of her guests whispered. 'Sorry for the language Ma'am.'

As the son of a bitch, which she had no problem calling him, basically gloated Will stormed into shot behind him. Face like a thunder cloud. Sarah felt her heart soar as he knocked the General out with one well placed punch.

She'd never remember what he said, only how good it felt to know he was still alive. Taking a deep breath Sarah turned on her visitors. They were both open mouthed and staring at her. 'You both heard my husband. Now thank you for your time. Please leave.'

Numbly they did, closing the door behind them as Sarah picked up Annabelle. 'Everything's going to be alright sweetie. Your daddy's still out there and he won't anything happen to you.'

Annabelle gurgled happily and waved at the screen. Just in time to see the giant silver robot that had levelled Mission City blow a hole in the red one.

* * *

Ratchet felt the ground scatter at his feet as he slid to a stop. High above the sky darkened as storm clouds gathered. 'Bumblebee.' He said as he retracted his hand and extended a system's scanner. The Ratchet native to this dimension was a nano second behind him.

'What's the damage?' He asked as Lennox decked out the human responsible for shooting the young 'bot.

'Bad.' It was, four hot load rounds at point blank range. Bumblebee was recklessly brave, almost to the point of idiocy, but that didn't mean he was super strong. In fact his armour plating was the thinnest of all of them. It made his headstrong nature even more impressive. Bumblebee would have sacrificed himself without a second thought for anyone here, human or Autobot.

The sabot rounds had punctured the flexible poly-steel membrane covering his face and buried themselves inside his head. One in a shattered optic, another in his vocal processor. The third had punched through an audio receptor. but it was the last one that did the real damage. Burning through the delicate neurological processor the round had lodged into his memory core.

Ratchet moved the scanner down. 'Come on Bee, I know you. Always lucky at times like this.'

The other Ratchet shook his head. 'There's nothing left.'

'That's where your wrong.' he said triumphantly as he saw the readings. 'Back-up memory core in the chest plate. Bumblebee downloaded just in the nick of time and his laser core is intact, his Spark's still online.'

'After all that damage? You really do build yourselves to last.' The sky darkened when something caught their attention. Megatron's last trick, distracting Prime just long enough to get a shot in. If there was nothing he could do to Astrotrain Ratchet hadn't a chance against the Leader of the Decepticons. Everyone else was too busy with their own problems or out of position. Prime was on his own.

* * *

John Keller looked up at the half finished screen. Somehow, thanks to Arcee, they had been able to rig up a direct video link to the President. The most powerful man in the world was on the other end and looking between their monitor and another. 'You have to understand I have to be seen doing something.'

Optimus Prime nodded. 'I can accept that. The people of your world need to know that they are safe, but is it better to do the wrong thing now. Rather than wait a while and figure out what the right thing to do is?'

'Of course.' The President drawled and Keller's poker face almost slipped into a wince. 'I can always have someone spin it that it was right at the time.'

Arcee, who was staying just out of the camera's view, looked stunned. The Autobot had never come across that sort of thinking before. Well, if you could call it thinking. Optimus, on the other hand, seemed to know a bit about politics. Enough to be polite at any rate. 'Yes I can understand that.' He lied convincingly, if John didn't know him he wouldn't have been able to tell how disgusted the Autobot leader was. 'Right now my friends are out there trying to help your people. If all goes well we can delay them long enough for our plan to work.'

The President wasn't looking at them. All his attention must have been on the news. 'What happens then?'

'With luck the Decepticons will be pulled off your planet, along with many Autobot's.'

So you'll be going home, you're leaving?' He asked hopefully.

'Not all of us, just some.' Optimus clarified and stopped. The President had seen something shocking. Arcee reacted too, taking a step back she bumped into the wall.

'No, Bumblebee!' She gasped and then fired a hologram of the news. It must have been recorded, but that didn't help with what Keller saw. The smallest of the Autobots from the other dimension was blown back when a Decepticon transformed into a space shuttle and took off. Skidding to a stop near General Marks Keller expected his rival to try something for a PR victory. Instead Keller watched in horror as the arrogant General climbed up on top of the Autobot and shot him.

It was political suicide and at any other time Keller would have punched the air in joy, but he didn't. He had accepted that these alien robots were alive, they might not be human but they had just as much right to live as any of God's creatures on this planet. What Marks had just done was murder. Plain and simple.

Optimus Prime's blue eyes flared sapphire. 'That man will answer to us. In every known law what I have have just seen was criminal.'

The President nodded. 'We can talk about it. But I don't know for how long.' Arcee changed the hologram from Bumblebee's charred corpse to another fight. The other Optimus was basted down by the silver and black Megatron, the two titans had changed the whole outcome of the battle. The Autobots were losing, then something else happened...

* * *

Staring down the the barrel of Megatron's cannon Optimus felt his processor race. He was in trouble, half his main systems and most of his back ups were off line. His self-repair systems were over stretched, with a mental command he prioritised the repairs. Fight now, survive later.

That didn't help the situation, Megatron had paused long enough to gloat but he wasn't going to wait around. Then he saw it, the gathering clouds overhead. It was happening far too fast t be natural. Then it hit him, atmospheric disruption. The side effect of the space bridge opening. Wheeljack had done it!

'I would have waited an eternity for this.' Megatron said. 'It's over Prime.'

'Never!' The Autobot leader shouted, dropping his shoulder Optimus was able to swing up and grab his Deception counterpart's gun arm. Holding him tight Optimus pushed with everything he had. Megatron could still fly off and escape. Opening dimension holes was tricky and dangerous, if they didn't scoop up everyone this time the next attempt could force the two universes together. Destroying both.

It was a desperate gamble but Optimus had no choice. Besides if he had learnt one thing as leader it was that sometimes you got lucky.

'You can't hold me forever Prime. You're too weak.'

Optimus held as tightly as he could. He could feel the teeth on his gears stripping, pulleys slipping and piston fluid leaking. Megatron was right. 'I don't have to hold you forever, just long enough.'

Megatron frowned as Optimus felt it. It was like gravity but different. Pulling at every part separately, in the same way. Lighter objects, like shrapnel, began to hover around them as the new force took hold. 'What are you... the space bridge!' The Decepticon realised

As he said it the heavens opened. Like a diamond sun in the heart of the gathering storm and intensely bright light winked into existence. 'NO!' Megatron bellowed into Optimus's face, his struggling became desperate. 'You can't stop me! This world is mine and not even you can stand in my way!' Lightning danced across the dark clouds, casting new shadows on the wrestling pair.

Optimus wanted to reply with a witty come back. Something to put the deranged Decepticon in his place, but all his strength and processor power was focussed on holding on.

'Not this time. Not now, not here!' Megatron continued to shout and struggle. 'This was to be my world, my universe. I was to rule all! No one can take that away from me. No one not even you Prime!'

As the Decepticon struggled with a maniac's strength all around them Decepticons and Autobots rose into the sky. The Starscream that Megatron had experimented on twisted. Components hastily installed tore free from his chassis. As the last part broke it's clamps the broken jet fell back down with a crash.

Still Megatron was fighting back and Prime's gears couldn't take anymore. The last piston gave and Megatron broke free. Firing randomly Megatron must have hoped he could hit something important. Proof that Optimus's archenemy was losing his logic processor Megatron even started shooting at the Space Bridge portal.

It didn't stop the inescapable pull, but Optimus still had to stop the random destruction raining down. He might not have the torque to hold with his shoulders anymore but Optimus's hands were still in working order. With luck his extra mass would pull Megatron up quicker.

His guess was right and together they were the last to leave this reality. Megatron screaming his defiance all the way.

End Chapter 9


	11. Epilogue

Keep Driving  
Epilogue

Authors Note  
I did originally hope to have this done and out before Revenge of the Fallen hit the cinema... yeah that didn't work. So to take my mind off it I was one of the first people in the cue to see the film. I didn't have much hope, admittedly. The first Bay film is perfect for DVD. The scene select button is under used in my opinion, I mean why suffer through the whole film when you can just pick and mix the best bits.

I have the feeling I'm going to wear out the skip and fast forward when Roll on the Floor whatever finds it's way into my player this coming week. Anyway, finally here's the end of this story in the saga. The rest can be easily found through my bio page.

* * *

Sam lent back on the hillside and pulled a rock out of his back. Looking up into the orange sunset he could see the first stars that were beginning to shine through the darkening sky. It was good to be home, his holiday with Mikaela had been brilliant, but it had kept him away when it had all gone down a couple of weeks earlier.

You couldn't cover up the destruction of a whole city full of people, or the massive battle at the foot of the dam. After the visiting Autobots and Decepticons were sucked back home the media went nuts. Asking how many were left, what had happened to them and just how much the government knew.

For almost a day there was nothing, at least in the public while the two of them flew back. According to Bumblebee behind the scenes it was a different story. Some people were already beginning to panic when Optimus Prime finally made his world wide broadcast.

He told everyone of how his Autobots had followed the Decepticons to Earth in search of an ancient artefact. He didn't say anything about the AllSpark, in fact he was very careful not to say too much at all. Optimus explained that aeons ago the people of his world divided into factions and how the war slowly caused their homeworld to die.

After a final battle in Mission City they had thought the Deceptions defeated. Without a home of their own Optimus had hoped to gather his forces scattered across the galaxy and set out to find a new world. As thanks for their help the government let them gather on Earth. Then the others arrived.

After Optimus had finished his story the President quickly followed up. Apparently he'd been in talks with Optimus and the leaders of the U.N. all day. The result was the leaders of Earth had agreed to offer the Autobots a permeant place here in exchange for Autobot science.

Not weapons or anything dangerous. More powerful and cleaner generators were at the top of the list, along with more efficient technology. Ratchet Explained to Sam later that because most of Earth's technology was based on Megatron it had all of the Decepticon's weaknesses. Inefficient, power hungry and far too big. The Autobots agreed to share that technology with everyone, at least everyone who wanted it.

Still the big point was that, in the end, the Autobots had been officially invited to stay. It.. it was amazing. Thing was it wasn't that simple. It had taken weeks to hammer out the agreement after the broadcast, as far as he knew they were still at it. Arguing about the finer points.

Worse still there were a couple of religious groups complaining at how machines couldn't be alive and more than a few that felt the whole idea of aliens was a threat to them. Others were springing up, seeing the Autobots as gods.

It was as Sam was thinking about it all in the fading light that a familiar Concept Camero pulled to a stop on the road. Bumblebee honked his horn as Sam's girlfriend got out. 'Mikaela,' Sam smiled as he stood up. Seeing her always brightened up his day. 'What brings you guy's out here?'

'You.' She smiled at him. 'Optimus just called, it's done.'

' "Done"? what do you mean "done"?'

'The whole treaty thing between the Autobots and Earth. They've agreed to it.'

'Cool' Sam kissed her on the cheek. 'What have they said?'

Mikaela sat down on Bumblebee's hood. 'Well the Autobots have what's left of Mission City and power from the Hover Dam. Optimus want's to re-build the city, Ratchet's already got some plans.'

'What? Sam blinked. Not quite sure what he was hearing. 'Their just giving them the city? A whole city?'

'Well I guess.' Mikaela shrugged. 'I mean what else they going to do with it? Someone's going to have to do something and the autobots offered.'

Sam felt a smile tug at the corners of his mouth. 'I whole city of Autobots. Won't that be something to see.'

'What's been happening to that arsehole General guy?' she asked. 'Wasn't he on trial or something?'

'That's still going on.' Sam shrugged. 'CNN's done a load of digging and found all sorts of stuff. Even if he gets out there's all sorts of people talking about war crimes.'

'War crimes?' Mikaela blinked 'What?'

'He's responsible for all sorts of shady stuff. He was even the one who ordered a strike on Ironhide.

'I knew that.'

'It's not the first time though, Lennox and a few others testified. Marks tried to blow them all up one time.' Sam explained. 'Turns out once they were scouting out a enemy base when he ordered an air-strike without telling them.'

'He was going to kill them?'

'Don't know, Might have just been going after the base. Will told me he thinks it was just to grab the glory and save on an extraction team. Thing is the air-strike missed and bombed out a village, it was why Will's team was there in the first place.'

'Your joking?'

'Wish I was, and you should hear what England's found out. You know how sometimes we get the wrong target? well...

'Wrong target?'

'Yeah, our bombers see a convoy and think its Iraqi or something when its really French or English. Well Marks was of those guys giving the okay to attack.'

Mikaela blinked 'That can't be real, we'd never do anything like that.'

'Hey CNN say's its true, so does a lot of people.' Sam shrugged. 'If it is Marks won't be a general much longer.'

* * *

A good distance off stood an imposing figure hidden amongst a group of trees. It's metal body covered in cogs and gears the colour of old rust. It watched the three friends talk before they drove off down the hill.

His smaller, human sized, companion Safeguard whistled at him in the bleeps of the Mini-cons.

'I'm not sure' Vector Prime answered. 'We've given them a good start, repaired their connection to Primus and revealed the truth to the natives.' The ancient transformer stepped into the open. 'Alpha did a good job when he built Optimus, but we got lucky. There are still Decepticons in this timeline, they'll all be coming here. They still have a long way to go'

Safeguard whistled again.

'No, we can't stay. Too much to do.' Primus's champion transformed. Plates sliding and his steel cloak opened up in to wings. Safeguard also transformed into it's smaller spaceship form.

Launching himself into the sky Vector Prime opened a dimensional space-bridge. Traversing realities at will.

End Keep Driving

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Authors postscript

I really hate writing for Sam and Mikaela, I have to force the romance like getting blood out of a stone. I admit I've never liked the human companions in transformers. They get on my nerves and are, more often than not, a hindrance to the plot. The only exception to this rule is Sari Sumdac and she doesn't count on a technicality (she's a techno-organic, half human half cybertronian).

The real reason for this Postscript is Vector Prime's appearance. Looking back over my story I knew that there were a few things that were a little too convenient to be coincidental. Someone had to be pulling the strings. Now I hinted earlier that Vector Sigma was able to do that, but I needed some sort of agent to pull things off. So I made Vector Prime the puppet-master, the man behind the curtain AKA Deux Ex Machina

For those of you who don't know Vector Prime was one of the original thirteen transformers created by Primus as his caretakers. Included in this gang are Alpha Trion and The Fallen. While the Tomb of the Primes holds a some of them it's not all by any means.

These thirteen are "Dimensional singularities". In other words in all the multi-verse there is only one of any of them, opposed to all the different versions of Optimus Prime that exist.

Oh and if you're wondering, I hated Revenge of Michael Bay's Ego and would gladly strap that fool to the business end of a fusion cannon for his crimes.

Thomas Fishwick  
AKA Mountain King

* * *

Disclaimer

Transformers and all related material belong to Hasbro. I do not own the characters used in this story and do not write for profit.


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